A couple of weeks ago we were visiting family in the Bristol area so on the way down we stopped in at National Trust property Lacock.
It’s pronounced “Lay-cock” but the three of us just referred to it as “Le Cock” for the entire day. What can I say? We’re easily amused.
When we arrived there was torrential rain so we sat and ate our picnic lunch in the car in the flooded carpark in that very British way we have. By the time the last sausage roll had been scoffed the clouds had cleared and the sun was shining!
Due to the weather the place was pretty quiet so we got to enjoy walking around without any crowds.
Lacock Abbey is situated in the centre of the village of the same name and was built on the foundations of a nunnery. You might even recognise it! It’s been used in many TV and film productions. Most notably the Harry Potter series.
The house has a museum dedicated to its most famous resident William Henry Fox Talbot, a British scientist, inventor and photography pioneer (he invented the negative!).
My daughter has a keen interest in photography and spent ages peering over each camera and reading about different techniques. As well as the museum you can mooch about the house. They have little mice figures hidden about the rooms, fun for the kids (and me!) to spot.
I rather fell in love with this chap.
The grounds and gardens were beautifully maintained with some exotic bits in the greenhouses. Because it’s the summer holidays they had a marquee up with crafty activities for children.
After the abbey, house and grounds we briefly wandered around the village. This is where you can see the influence of Lacock’s career as TV-village-for-hire. You could barely walk more than five steps without somebody trying to flog you a wand.