Just out of Hamilton is a small village called Gordonton,
and just around the corner from there can be found the Woodlands Estate
homestead.
Yesterday, a sister-and-law and myself headed out here to
see their Christmas display. I didn’t
think it was quite as lavish as I remember seeing it several years ago, but we
enjoyed ourselves wandering around the different rooms and looking at
everything.
There were several Christmas trees of different sizes dotted throughout the various rooms.
The homestead was built in the 1870s and comes complete with
a cellar and an indoor bathroom (not common in houses then).
I loved visiting the nursery, although the slanted ceiling
meant I had to bend my head a couple of times (and I am definitely not a tall
person!).
I’m sure, back in the day, this well-to-do family would have
had much fun as they celebrated Christmas with all the trimmings.
The kitchen area had some model food on display. I thought this cooked goose was rather cute
(or is it a turkey?).
It was a lovely way to spend a morning and great to be able
to catch up with this one of my sisters-in-law before Christmas.
Only ten days left to the Big Day, so I hope all your activities
are going according to plan.
Margaret 😊
Postscript: my apologies if I have created a misunderstanding with my post here. It is one of those cases of different usage of language. My daughter tells me toilets are often referred to in America as bathrooms, whereas we normally refer to them as a bathroom (containing shower and/or bath) and a toilet (or loo). This house had a separate room with a bath (instead of just a bedroom wash basin), but the toilet was still outdoors.
That looks to have been a wonderful way to spend a morning Margaret - I am way behind this year - but no doubt all will work out in the end - it usually does..
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine
What a great place.
ReplyDeleteOh, and memories. My Mum made a goose each Christmas. It took her forever and we had three meals from it.
Nice you had a great time 😘
Feliz Navidad.
ReplyDeleteSweet pictures Good for you both to spend time together,greetings
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to visit these stately old mansions to see how life was back then.
ReplyDeleteBarb and I enjoy walking through houses like that and imagine what life would have been like. That wallpaper by the fireplace certainly is something!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us along on this lovely visit. That was a well to do family!
ReplyDeleteA lovely old place to visit.
ReplyDeleteHow I love touring lovely old homes. I keep scrolling back to look at the pics that you took.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know flush toilets were even invented in 1870. Looking it up I found that they were indeed around and in some homes by 1851. Sure were not in the house I grew up in.
Another place to put on the list, thank you. Very few places had indoor bathrooms back then - toilets were the long-drop down the back of the property and the plumbing in the house was pretty basic, so that is a seriously luxurious home. We visited a house in Nelson with a bathroom, but it was tacked onto the kitchen, and I don't remember a toilet.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas has been seriously Covid disrupted - I'm seriously immunocompromised so it's antivirals, and I'd had the Evushield shots, but I seem to be coping pretty well. A lot of cancellations, of course, but we're doing ok. I hope you keep well. Thank you for sharing such interesting travels.
Must be so much fun, to visit such an old place, at Christmas.
ReplyDelete💛😊🎄😊💛
I loved Woodlands when I visited. The grounds are lovely, aren't they? So glad you shared their Christmas decorations.
ReplyDeleteF spotted the childs bowl on the high chair. Her family had one like that, with a picture of kids skiing on pillows in the bottom. It has been inherited from an earlier generation and many years of metal spooning of porridge had worn the picture to just a whisper of colours. Did you keep any childrens bowls to hand down? We have no idea where F's family one is now.
ReplyDeleteEach of our children had a Bunnykins plate that I have passed on to them. We grew up with glass cereal plates with Sergeant Dan the Creamoata Man on the bottom of them. I think they eventually became pet dishes!
DeleteYes common to have outdoor loos or outhouses in houses of that era, although I"m not sure if the one in Auckland (Alberton) has indoor our outdoor ones.
ReplyDeleteSo nice! I love to visit old homes and see how people lived and decorated.
ReplyDelete