Today we start our day with a visit to Dorset’s oldest inhabited house, Moignes Court, the home of the Cree family since the 1820s. This deceptively modest 12th-century manor house in the village of Owermoigne is an impressive example of medieval architecture, with only a small number of alterations made to the structure due to a fire in 1880. There are many historical highlights for us to discover during our visit, including a collection of 13th-century windows, a first-floor court room and even a moat! The medieval grounds are still exquisitely well-preserved and have been repurposed by the current owners of a wild living initiative, providing charming holiday accommodation and education spaces for members of the community and beyond.
Next, we visit Warmwell House during our June departure, an immaculately maintained 17th-century Jacobean Manor in what would be the heart of Thomas Hardy’s fictional Wessex country. Surrounded by acres of landscaped gardens and not usually open to the public, Warmwell is a quintessentially English manor house complete with sophisticated wooden interiors, elegant occasion rooms and leisure facilities including a hedge maze and a tennis court. On our exclusive guided tour, we are given the chance to explore this wonderful property and discover the storied history that lies within.
On our July departure, we instead enjoy a guided tour of Sherbourne Castle, built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594. A family home since 1617, a visit here is like strolling through four centuries of different decorative styles, featuring nationally significant collections of furniture, paintings and porcelain. We learn all about its Tudor heritage, how George III visited with The Queen and the three Princesses in 1789 and its use as a hospital during the First World War. Outside is a beautiful example of a quintessentially English landscape garden and was one of Capability Brown's first commissions, which survives largely unaltered today.
After dinner this evening, we enjoy an interesting themed talk from a guest speaker.