Eyam Hall

A rather lovely, though unspectacular manor house built shortly after the infamous plague. It has a wonderful garden and a general ambience which makes me wish I could just live there forever. And that is what seems to be going on...though not for me of course. One of the insidious downsides of the National Trust is their obsequious attitude to some of those who manage to stitch up a deal in which the National Trust lease properties, maintaining them at their own expense and yet still allow the owners to carry on living there, all expenses paid. Last time I visited they were talking about handing the property back to the owners having spent considerable sums in renovation and maintenance...