The house is completely bare of furnishings, but this only adds to the special atmosphere. During our visit we were fortunate to see “Mrs Beeton’s Christmas Cooking” which was a 45 minute act by two very talented young ladies playing the House Cook, Mrs Wos and the kitchen maid Jane. It was very entertaining and beyond anything that we expected, and was included in the price of admission which was £7.50 for oldies. I have included some photos taken during our visit. Unfortunately visitors are prevented from seeing the servants quarters which apparently(according to a staff member) stacked with old stuff and is used for storage. I particularly admired the ornate brass balustrade from the ground floor to the first floor bedrooms, and being a fan of the odd glass myself, the beer and wine cellars are very interesting indeed. The size of them suggests that the Middleton family were first class party people. By the way, there is no connection between this family and the other Middletons. The Tea Room was half full on a Saturday in November, so I guess it must get quite full in the summer months. My wife and I shared a Toastie with side salad and a Fruit Scone. With two pots of tea the bill came to £11.50. Good value from English Heritage I think, which is more than I can say about the National Trust properties.
