CHEAP! Homely Hughenden Manor
It was positively pouring down with rain today, but, never wanting to give up the opportunity to make the most of the time off school/work, we armed ourselves with umbrellas, jumped in the car and trundled down a soggy M40 to High Wycombe to visit this lovely Victorian manor house. This former country residence of Benjamin Disraeli (Queen Victoria's favourite prime minister) has a very interesting history as not only can you learn about his personal life, political life and life as an author but there is also a hidden history that has only recently been discovered. During the Second World War, Hughenden had been code-named 'Hillside' and doubled as a secret base location for military cartographers to make updated maps of Germany for Allies to use to plan their attacks. Whilst the house has been renovated to show the decor and furniture of Disraeli's time there, the basement displays information on it's undercover identity. The formal gardens and surrounding parklands are lovely, add to it's charm and offer chances to cross things off the kid's '50 things' list. Adult price for entry to the house and gardens is £10.90 and £5.45 for children and (£4.50 and £2.65 respectively for just the gardens) however National Trust members go free. I must be one of their biggest advocates (which you'll no doubt know if you've read some of my previous blog posts) as I think their membership is well worth it - I get twice if not three times more out of my annual membership and get to see some of the UK's hidden treasures while doing so.
