22 June 2010
With the temperature soaring, there is no escape from the sweltering heat even if you are indoor. Today we find ourselves in Ham House along River Thames and in the company of very warm and very forthcoming room wardens. The weather must have played a part in this hospitality. Having visited many National Trust properties, I can say coming across such friendly room wardens is a rarity and that makes our visit both an enriching and enjoyable one.
The Ham House we see today is due to the work done by William Murray and his eldest daughter Elizabeth. In 1626, William moved to Ham House and was close friends with the king, Charles I. With the king’s patronage, he furnished the house luxuriously. In the 1670s, Elizabeth created stunning interiors of which much had survived and remained unchanged. I marveled at the numerous intricate cabinets including a most unusual one which is entirely veneered with thick ivory. In the library, there are a couple of really old globes with a very different world map that we know today. The reason is there are still places not yet charted by men, for example the Western side of America. Splendid portraits adorn the four walls and even the ceilings are sometimes decorated with paintings of classical themes.
Globe Nomads review ratings: 4/5
We learned a lot from the room wardens and had a most enjoyable visit.
(please refer to ratings explanation)
Visitor Information:
National Trust property
Admission. House and Garden: adult £9.45, child £5.25, family £24.15. Garden only: adult £3.15, child £2.10, family £8.40. NT members free.
Parking free.
Please refer to National Trust for latest updates.
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The ticketing reception van.
Statue of Father Thames, according to Wikipedia.
Decorations on the grand staircase built by William Murray.
This cabinet is entirely veneered with ivory. Ivory is molded with heat to create the wavy effect.
Notice the jib door in the corner.
The back of Ham House.
The Cherry Garden.
Cast iron “cow legs” table in the diary.
2 Comments
Leng,
Old world architecture has always been a favorite of mine and you've done a great job on this report about the Ham House. I wasn't familiar with it, but happy to have learned about such a beautiful estate. I adored the knot garden especially.
Renee
Renee,
Thanks for dropping by! UK has many beautiful and well conserved estates throughout the country.
Leng