Allerton Castle. The ancestral lands.

The castle . This is not just the castle but THE CASTLE in all of it's millions of Gothic splendor. This was not the original castle that the Maulevers built but it is the one here now. That is good enough for me. First we had been to see the Mauleverer effigies at the estate church. There is a chapel in the house, but that came later and is not open to us public anyway.
So here we all are assembled at the castle awaiting the guided tour. We arrived early. I was the last one in every room and the last out. There is always one. This day it was me. I still can not properly pick my jaw up from the floor.

 First things first. We had to pay in cash and then be regaled by the history lesson from our guide. The mauleverer part was included for our benefit as Mary had made it very clear as to who she was and why we were all here dressed in our best casual tourist gear. Mary also brought along her embroidery canvas as yet un stitched of Anne Pierson Mauleverer, .

 This is hight of the fashion Gothic castle. the works...everything made or designed by the American gentleman who has spent millions and millions restoring this pile of stones. if it is there he has either repaired or had it made.....

 He makes some small change by hosting weddings, but I think that must be purely for amusement because he has stacks of money and is not afraid to spend it. as you see.

feast your eyes on this lot. I certainly did. and guess what I took a load of photos. in fact I as ever took far too many. These are a meare few.
The great hall which runs through the centre of the house. wood carving and many many coats of arms. If you wanted to marry into the original owners family you needed a coat of arms. If not not wedding. The coats of arms from all the brides families who did make it are all around the second floor balcony. We were not allowed upstairs on this tour but I could get the gist of the situation just fine standing in the hall looking up to the high tower .......

 In case you are left in any doubt about the total sensationalism of this place...this is the hall. This is where the weddings take place,,,just by this elephant here.
I picked up my jaw that that had shattered on the floor and quickly superglued it back up and continued to listen to ourr tour guide. I was the last in to every room and the last out....yes I was that annoying person on a guided tour. I do not get the chance often to stick my nose into a place such as this so I was brain boggled by the second room......riches I could not even imagine and believe this gypsy I can imagine quite a lot.

 Carved stone fire place and a very lot of coats of arms.

 By this time I was left in no doubt what so ever. I was in a film set. I actually was. this is where the bride will entre on the big day and it has been used in a Bollywood movie and the Victoria telly series.

 The library. The owner of this pile of stones actually uses this room to watch telly. He does live here. He is not married, and lives here "alone" apart from his staff of course. He wandered past us in the hall...Mary whispered..."that's him!"......As last visit Mary and Lee were invited to tea in his private rooms....as Mary is a Mauleverer  descendant.

 Dining room and our guide. All of this was restored after a fire. The owner had just paid out millions to restore the house and then it all was destroyed by a chimney fire in the house keepers quarters. it was not put out properly and Wooof! it went up like a huge bonfire. So more millions were spent to restore it again.

 You know me. I am a sucker for stained glass.....in this room and others I noted that there was a reproduction of the lady and the unicorn tapestry's....I have copies as cushions. It is the nearest I am getting to this grandeur. Mary also has these cushions too........

 How would this look at Carlton Terrace? a bit much for a mill worker cottage ? yes perhaps.

 out into the hall again and then to the Georgian part of the house....

 The billiards room. Lee here talking to our guide....

 We were invited to sit if we wanted. Here is Mary, lady of the manor.

 Hearing more history. there is a picture of a guy from the civil war...the picture has been exrayed so they know that he changed sides as the picture beneath has him in gear from the other side. possibly how he avoided beheading when the king was restored. I bet the Mauleverers wish they thought of that. that part of the family lost everything by being on the wrong side. This is part of the reason they emigrated to America and Mary and Bonnie are visiting their ancestral lands this day.

This is what is the show room. This is purely to show off. This is where the brides and grooms sign the resister before going to drink champagne in the hall....

This chandelier.......it changes colour. in other words the glass picks up the colours around it....

Really really wow. what more do I write!?

I like this arty thing I took of Bonnie and Dixon at Allerton. slightly out of focus....but the light was good......

 They will return. Mary, Bonnie , Lee and Dixon all flew home to the States early this Sunday morning. Anyway here they are at" their " pile of stones in Yorkshire having spent a week soaking up the atmosphere. I have personally made sure of this

By now we were well and truely filled to the brim with history, ancestry and were all just plain hungry.....I intended to direct them to the Cow and Calf hotel at the top by the rocks. GPS said it was an hour away. we drove towards Poole and Huby and lept out of the car to the first place we saw that looked friendly and served anything edible. The farm shop and cafe in Huby. I ate a hearty Yorkshire rarebit

So I am back to reality and just preparing for my day working a till in the local supermarket.
Bang! and the dream is gone..