Audley End

To finish the bank holiday weekend we ventured out to the stunning English Heritage Audley End House in Saffrom Walden. Audely End is one of England's most grandest stately homes and is a spectacular Jacobean mansion which forms one of the great sights of East Anglia. Behind the architecture, furniture and furnishings is the story of Audley End and its successive owners - from Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII in the mid 16th century, through earls and kings, to the Neville Family in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

 

The Elysian Garden looking towards the Tea House Bridge

Joshua standing by a little waterfall on the River Cam.

Brandon trip trapping and Joshua looking through planks trying to spot fish.

Joshua exploring some rockery in the pond gardens.

The old boiler room, times have changed.......

Joshua fancying a spot of gardening, or is he practising for strong man.

Little B muscles up for a go himself.

After sitting in the car for an hours journey to get to Audley End and then having a little stroll through the kitchen gardens, we headed for the Cart Yard Cafe to let the boys blow off some steam in the themed play area. 

Joshua playing jockey on a horse and cart.

The play area had a 3 tier play house with slide which the boys loved.

Brandon whizzing down the slide on the play house.

Little B pretending to be a meerkat!

And whats this, Uncle Michael riding shotgun on a rocking horse with Joshua.

Joshua named the wooden horse Becky and seemed to take a bit of a liking to this.

Brandon was more content on the smaller rocking horses.

We did manage to get both boys onto the cart for this picture.

The house also features some recently restored stables where the boys got to meet the three residents, Harry, Bess and another lazy old race horse that was too slow during Newmarket race training. The stables are pretty interactive for the kids as can dress up in some tack on period costumes.Also just opposite the stables are a couple of very old horse cart fire engines.

 

Joshua with an old fire hose cart.

Brandon checking out the old fire pump cart.

This was the largest of the horses on display and what a beast. This thing was huge, but very friendly. Joshua braved a stroke but Brandon was intimidated by the size and stayed well back.

This horse was a bit grumpy and actually gave me a little chest nudge with its head as if to say "bugger off", much to the boys amusement.

The gabled stables have been described as the "grandest surviving stables of the early 17th century".

My two boys standing at one of the entrances to Audley End House.

Joshua off exploring the Parterre behind Audley House.

A nice picture of the four of us in front of the house. Shame the fountain was still closed off from the winter period.

A beautiful photo of Josh and Brandon outside Audley End House and Parterre.

After covering a lot of ground exploring the site the boys little legs were getting tired. With no buggy available we were very resourceful.

The front of the house has some amazing shaped bushes which are hollowed out for the boys to explore.

Brandon submerges from a little bush walk.

Overall we had a very enjoyable day and hopefully the boys learned something new, even if it was just to see how clothes were washed and ironed in the old service wing of the house. We had great fun running around playing tag on the lawns out of the front of the house and had two very, very tired boys at the end of the day.