If you have the chance to visit England, make sure you have on your agenda to visit the village of Lacock. You may think you have already been there because it looks so familiar, but that is because it has been used in many films, like; A&E’s “Pride and Prejudice”, PBS’s “Cranford”, all of the Harry Potter movies have shot the classroom scenes at Lacock Abbey that is in the village, A&E’s “Emma” and many other productions.
Main Street in P&P and Cranford plus others...
As you walk the streets of the village you will feel as if you have been transported back to the 13th century, when the village was founded. Many of the buildings on the 4 streets, are thatch roofed, or lime-washed Tudor style buildings of the 14-1500’s. As you roam the streets of the village there are private homes, shops to visit, and bakeries and tea houses to eat at and buy yummy snacks.
Hall used for the Meryton Ball in P&P
Lacock Abbey itself, which is in the village, was established in the 1232. It was built by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, the first and only female sheriff of Wiltshire, as a tribute to her husband. She served as the first Abbess. At the dissolution of the Abbey’s under HenryVIII, it was sold and turned into a country house.
Dark Arts classroom in Harry Potter Movies
Before the movie industry made this village and Abbey famous, it was well known to photographers as the location of where the first negative picture was taken. William Henry FoxTalbot is known as the “father of modern photography”. He developed the positive-negative film process while living in the Abbey, and took the first picture of the lattice window. At the Abbey entrance is a great museum that covers Talbot’s work and discoveries.
Lacock Abbey-Lattice Window
Within close proximity to Lacock Village is the city of Bath (20-25 miles), and also the most beautiful village in England, the village of Castle Combe. Castle Combe is also featured in many movies, most recently was “Stardust”(see my review below, dated Oct. 15th). Also within easy travel distance is Salisbury. Our family rented a cottage (which saved quite a pretty penny, or pence in this case) for a week in the Wiltshire area, and did day trips from our cottage. We were close to a grocer so that saved on food costs. There are so many places to see and you never have to travel for more than 1 hour to see so many amazing sites.
The village of Castle Combe
3 comments:
I love Lacock, it is a must see!
I finished the Gurnsey... book and LOVED it! Thanks again for another good book recomendation! I am starting Ella now. :)
p.s. By the way, I have been rocking the Jane Austen questions...give me a challenge woman!
Post a Comment