Chiswick
I went to Chiswick House yesterday with my friend Dasha. It's an English Heritage property. In the past I feel like English Heritage have given me too much of a hard sell with regards to membership when visiting their places. Fortunately their staff were somewhat more restrained yesterday. I also committed the same sin of many National Trust visitors that I've seen, which is not giving myself enough time to see and experience everything that a site has to offer. Having said that, we arrived 40 minutes before closing time and saw pretty much all there was to see in the house.
I prefer heritage properties that possess a sense of atmosphere. While you get some idea of the history of Chiswick House, as a gallery space it feels a little soulless. There are items of interest (such as the ceiling painting in the Blue Velvet Room) and for those who are interested in Italian art and its depiction of mythical figures, it's certainly worth a look. But for me, there wasn't enough to distinguish it from the other art collections I've seen. But maybe I'm getting jaded.
A woman advised us when ascending a staircase that the room she had just vacated had a low ceiling. I'd rather wished she'd told us that the room merely contained barrels. That at least gave it something in common with the Fuller's Brewery and shop I'd accidently stumbled upon earlier on in the day. With tap plates, bar towels and mini kegs for sale, I had briefly fantasised about opening my own pub. We missed out on viewing the conservatory but greatly enjoyed a wander round the gardens (free to enter). The 18th century's classical stone bridge is a strong feature and the circular trail was a fine way to wile away what remained of the afternoon.
I prefer heritage properties that possess a sense of atmosphere. While you get some idea of the history of Chiswick House, as a gallery space it feels a little soulless. There are items of interest (such as the ceiling painting in the Blue Velvet Room) and for those who are interested in Italian art and its depiction of mythical figures, it's certainly worth a look. But for me, there wasn't enough to distinguish it from the other art collections I've seen. But maybe I'm getting jaded.
A woman advised us when ascending a staircase that the room she had just vacated had a low ceiling. I'd rather wished she'd told us that the room merely contained barrels. That at least gave it something in common with the Fuller's Brewery and shop I'd accidently stumbled upon earlier on in the day. With tap plates, bar towels and mini kegs for sale, I had briefly fantasised about opening my own pub. We missed out on viewing the conservatory but greatly enjoyed a wander round the gardens (free to enter). The 18th century's classical stone bridge is a strong feature and the circular trail was a fine way to wile away what remained of the afternoon.
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