Outing to Hampstead

It was Easter Monday and kids in punch-out-and-fold-together paper helmets were being Eggsplorers, hunting "eggs" in the grounds of Fenton House, in its blossom-laden, bluebell-carpeted, 300-year-old orchard for instance -

 

Fenton House has several art collections, including Stuart embroideries, which you can see here, and is also known for its musical instrument collection (concerts are often held in the house). This lute was made in 1580 and repaired recently and it was decided to leave it open - how often do you get to see the inside of a lute?

From the balconies at the top of the house you get a marvellous view across Hampstead and London - how different it must have looked from the very top of the hill when the house was built, at the end of the 17th century - were there large trees then?

Inscribed bricks from various eras can be seen - perhaps workmen came up to the roof to have their lunch, and couldn't resist leaving their mark. The earliest have survived the best - 1693 at top right -

On the way down the hill, we found this tile under the bar of a pub -

and a sign on quaint little Flask Walk stating the obvious? -

"This is a window display"