While In Nottingham we visited the stately Woolaton House. Apparently the wealthy Mr Willoughby (the original house owner) had the house built to show off his wealth, and to impress Queen Victoria. Unfortunately she did not like the house!
We did a guided tour with Ben and one other couple. This was worthwhile to hear the history of the house, and visit some parts inaccessible to the general public.
Ben even told us a spooky story, about a night when he and a colleague were locking up. They heard a loud sigh from one of the rooms they were in. After they ruled out all possibilities (was that you? Maybe our feet made that sound on the floor etc) they beat a hasty retreat!
Another room was dedicated to a display of miniatures. This was absolutely incredible (unfortunately not allowed to take photos).
A sculptor called Willard Wigan creates minuscule sculptures. Most of these are in the eye of a needle, and he works through a microscope!! We were lucky enough to meet him there and he signed a book for me. He also has an interesting background. Google him if you’re curious. His work is unique.
Below are some photos I took from my book. Note the materials he uses and the length of time he takes to complete each piece!
We also visited the secret walled garden not far from the house. This is currently a work in progress as a team of volunteers is trying to restore it. It took them three years to remove all the Ivy from the brick wall surrounding the neglected garden! One of the things we found fascinating, was that back in the day the brick walls were heated to keep everything at a constant temperature for the plants!
England 2023 