Mottisfont, Hampshire, England

Weekend sightseeing began with at visit to "Mottisfont", a nearby country house that King Henry VIII gave to one of his cronies. It later belonged to the "Russell family" who donated it to the National Trust.  The grounds are beautiful with rivers, springs, rose gardens and lush countryside. The trees will be budding and the flowers blooming soon, so we will definitely go back. 

 Stopped at the Tea Shop for a little cake and hot chocolate.

This mangle is several hundred years old.  It was used to iron sheets and table clothes, buy filling the wood box with hot rocks, laying the sheet under it, and moving it along the sheet by wooden rollers underneath.  Very ingenious!

Two London Plane Trees have grown together, making this one the largest in England.