That is the description on the front of the brochure for Powis Castle and Garden, a National Trust property of not far from Welshpool. That was our destination Tuesday morning.
We left our more than a bit dodgy pub hotel in Pool Quay (near Welshpool) which was no more than a 1-star in my humble opinion and made the short drive to the castle. I cannot say I would recommend the Powis Arms Hotel under any circumstances. A couple of times Mena and I had looked at each other the previous evening and thought what on earth were we thinking! Lots of wine (a lovely Rioja at a good price) helped numb the experience. In the morning, our breakfast was okay but, quite frankly, I couldn't wait to depart. At least the window boxes and baskets on the fence were filled with colourful flowers. Too bad the artificial arrangements inside probably hadn't been dusted since before Y2K weren't as lovely!
I had never heard of Powis Castle and wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously, Mena had done her research well because the castle gardens were spectacular and the interiors very interesting.
The castle dates from medieval times so, like most built in that era, it sits atop a hill. Terraced gardens tumble down the hillside to the flats below and every piece of vegetation you look at is perfectly manicured from the giant yew trees to the magnificent flower beds.
The history of the castle is interesting. I found the following on a Welsh Tourist website:
Perched high on a rock above the world-famous garden terraces, Powis Castle, originally built circa 1200, began life as the medieval fortress of the Welsh Princes of Powys, who held onto their kingdom despite the threats of their more powerful neighbours in Gwynedd and England.
In 1587, Powis Castle was sold to Sir Edward Herbert who created the romantic long gallery, which is richly decorated with the coats of arms of his ancestors. In 1784, the marriage of Lady Henrietta Herbert and Edward Clive, son of Robert Clive, the conqueror of India, combined the Powis and Clive estates.
Today, the medieval Castle contains one of the finest collections of paintings and furniture in Wales. It was originally built by Welsh Princes and was then the ancestral home of the Herberts and Clives. The beautiful collection of treasures from India is displayed in the Clive Museum.
The Castle & Gardens have been remodelled and embellished over more than 400 years and reflect the changing needs and ambitions of the Herbert family - each generation adding to the magnificent collection of paintings, sculpture, furniture and tapestries.
In the early 20th Century, the 4th Earl of Powis and his wife, Lady Violet, redecorated much of the castle and brought the garden back to life, introducing new varieties from all over the world.
The world-famous garden, overhung with clipped yews, shelters rare and tender plants is laid out under the influence of Italian and French styles. It retains its original lead statues and an orangery on the terraces.
The following are photos of the gardens and a few of the castle interiors that I found on the Internet.
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| I don't think I had ever seen a peacock "chick" before |
From Powis Castle, we made our way back to England going through Much Wenlock and driving along "The Edge" which Mena had read about. There might have been some great scenery but, with the high hedges on either side of the road, we couldn't see much.
We got to Birmingham around 4:30 and, later met up with Trev's sisters (June and Brenda) for dinner at The Plough in Harborne. Then, just like that, this part of my holiday was over and I said good bye to Mena and Trev. They will be traveling until early September so it will be a while before I see them again. It was a great time and we got to explore parts of England and Wales that we hadn't seen before.
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