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In our mission to make the most of our NT membership this morning we visited Bodiam Castle despite the fact that Gill had been before, admittedly that was over 60 years ago but I don't suppose it has changed much since then.
The castle was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dallingridge who had made his fortune fighting the French. Whilst it had some good defensive features the castle was also designed to impress and was very luxurious inside including 28 toilets! It even had a 14th century jacuzzi (actually it was the well but why so wide). Apparently the water was not good enough for drinking.
The castle was damaged during the Civil War but the ruins were restored by Lord Curzon a little over 100 years ago and he donated them to the National Trust on his death.
We had to pay for our next museum but it was a gem. An enthusiast for Morgan 3 wheel cars has created a museum to house his collection. It is so crowded it is hard to photograph the cars or even examine them closely but the jammed packed room made it all the more special. Morgan Cars were formed in 1910 with the aim to make low cost cars both to race and as a small family car.
They had one wheel at the back, little weather proofing but the most notable feature was the exposed 'V' engine in the front of the car. The sports versions could do 85 mph which must have been exciting especially as front brakes were an optional extra.
The early models did not have a gearbox, they had two chains to the rear wheel with different gearing and a clutch which could engage one or the other. The two speeds were called "fast" and "faster".
The model shown left is a 1913 "Runabout" which was very popular.
In 1935 they started to make four wheelers and the last three wheeler was made in 1952. But amazingly they have made a comeback, most Morgans sold today are expensive "old mans" sports cars with huge engines, however in 2011 Morgan started making new 3 wheelers which have two litre engines and can reach 115 mph, they are no bigger than the original cars so a bit scary.
Finally we drove over to Smallhythe House (NT again - more money saved) which was the home of a famous actress called Ellen Terry who was a bit of a girl. She married an artist called G.F. Watts when she was 16 and he 46, the marriage lasted 9 months. She then lived with and architect and designer called Edward Godwin and they had two children but never married and finally she had a long relationship with Henry Irving an actor / director. Despite these "loose morals" (by Victorian standards) she was made a dame so obviously well regarded. She had a house in London but bought this house to escape the attention she received.
Her daughter inherited the house and decided to make it a shrine to her mother building a small theatre in an adjacent barn (pictured).
The daughter and her female partner were a bit eccentric and were known as the “Old Trouts”. She gave the house to the National Trust in 1939 but as they were still living there had to collect the entrance fees to which she said “We are artists, we don’t do money” so the NT suggested entry by voucher to which she replied “We don’t do vouchers!” Eventually a compromise was reached and the house has been open to the public ever since.
The building is the same age and very much like the Porch House, they think it was originally built as the Harbour Masters office / house for the large port which used to be next to it. There were shipbuilding yards here where many of the naval vessels were built for Henry VIII’s fleet but it has long been silted up and all that remains is a ditch.
Tomorrow we will head for Hastings so stand by for stories one in the eye for poor old Harold.
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