Sometimes things happen for a reason; call it happy coincidence or fate, either way, on occasion a chance encounter can open opportunities if one is willing to follow the path. This is one such story and I invite you to take a look, to share it in pictures and words.
The story begins in Bath, United Kingdom on a warm sunny day. I'd just visited the Roman Baths and was sitting in the shade on a bench opposite the Mediaeval Bath Abbey watching the world go by. A well-dressed elderly couple approached, she smiled, and she asked if they could share share my bench. Naturally I said yes insisting they take my shaded end which they gratefully accepted. I turned my attention back to the courtyard and people watching thinking how lovely it was to see the old couple sit there hand in hand. Will that be me someday, I wondered.
They spoke openly and I could tell they were both educated and probably quite well-to-do judging by their clothing; not flashy, but tailored, expertly made and probably incredibly expensive. I listened and watched and soaked up the day; I was feeling good, so good in fact, that I leaned over slightly and said to the lady, what a beautiful day. She smiled and said, yes, quite splendid. We both went silent and then after a moment she said, Australian?
That opened the flood gates. It's something I've noticed in all of my travels around the world; being Australian opens doors be it conversation, or literal doors. I suppose that my polite easy-going manner helps. I'm a different man on holiday more...Socially open.
We started talking as the husband played with his phone which was not working. He wasn't grumbling but I could see he was frustrated. His wife explained to me that he checks in with his son, who now runs his businesses, at 5pm every day and he was having trouble with the phone. I offered to help of course and a few moments later I was playing around with the phone finally working out that he had put it on flight mode somehow. I rectified it and he smiled in gratitude with a, thank you son, thrown in.
We continued talking and the couple revealed that they came to Bath in summer every year from the Isle of Weight where they lived in a manor home. They visited this little square at this time each day and he spoke to his son from here.
They owned a business revolving around tourism and hospitality, weddings and functions and many more properties all of which the son [and daughter] was now taking care of. The man was 83 years old and incapable of doing it himself, but he liked to be nosey is what his wife said. He owned golf courses, huge tracts of farming land, many commercial and industrial properties and was clearly very wealthy. He also owned a castle, a fact I found, fascinating; even more so that they invited me there.
It was from this castle where the tourist and function operations were based and his daughter ran things down there. I spoke with the couple for almost 45 minutes and by the end it was all arranged...My visit to their castle where I was to ask for the daughter directly who would show me around. It was rather exciting.
Hampton Court Castle
This castle, not to be confused with Hampton Court Palace built in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, is a large castellated country house located Herefordshire, in the parish of Hope under Dinmore and four miles from Leominster. [Castellated means that it has battlements.]
It's not truly a castle though; it began life in 1427 when the original house was built and has evolved over time as things tend to do. Of course over that time it changed hands many times until in in 2016 it passed to the current owner at the price of twelve million pounds after being on the market at much higher for over a year.
Interestingly an American bought it in 1994 and set about a massive process of renovation and also filled it with curiosities and militaria, the genuine items, which he seemed to think would make it more like a castle. I think he didn't understand the less is more concept though - Americans. He never saw his work finished as he died in 1999. In fact I think he never even went there if I recall correctly. It was sold in its entirety, as is, to the current owner though because it simply became too costly and difficult for the family of the business man to maintain.
Wandering Hampton Court
On arrival I spoke with the nice lady at the ticket office who advised me I was expected. Cool, I thought. I proceeded through and made my way through the gardens which are amazingly cared for and presented. I was left with a sense of peace helped along by the lack of anyone else around. The gardens are just nice and there's a few interesting sculptures scattered around also, some architecture as well.
There's formal areas and more natural or informal gardens also, plus there's a very cool maze with a stone tower in the middle. One can access it, via a secret tunnel from a hidden glade complete with pond and waterfall, right into the tower and climb to the top to observe the maze; then exit through the maze, or do it in reverse I guess. I got lost in there but that was ok, I didn't mind as sometimes being lost is exactly where I need to be.
I made it to the house and met with the daughter of the old couple who was incredibly welcoming and friendly. Of course, she has a business to run so after about twenty minutes I was passed on to an underling and taken on a tour of the house where I learned more about its history, how they have improved it since taking over and how they work to maintain the grounds and house itself which is an incredibly costly aspect of castle life.
After my tour I headed to the Orangery Café for a bite to eat and a coffee which I took in the gardens rather than inside. It was, for lack of a better description, quite splendid indeed. After lunch I did some more exploring which included a nice hour spent sitting in that secluded glade area by the pond where I found some peace amongst nature.
Had that chance meeting with the elderly couple taken place and we'd shared some conversation and a few social moments then parted ways I would have been content; that it ended up in a private tour of the castle the couple owned and the chance to see a place I'd never even heard of was beyond expectations.
I've seen and done some amazing things on my travels around the world, truly amazing things, and whilst this chance encounter and a wander about Hampton Court Castle may not seem to qualify as such it is no less valuable for the experience. It was a nice thread to weave into my life's tapestry.
Thanks for coming along with me on this little journey and please accept my apology for the photos, I'm not the best photographer which is why I linked the gallery from their website below, and to their garden section, also from their website.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
All images are my own.