Old town

Another lovely day today - so we went to Ragley Hall and Alcester (in search of the river, to forage some wild garlic). Ragley Hall is impressive, not just another stately home belonging to some aristocrat (although both of those things are true) but owned by the current peer who is also agriculturally trained and manages the farm and 400 acres. Their income comes from the estate which produces beef, lamb and pork, a sawmill and two furniture making shops, sustainable woodland management and 40 farms. Or 140. I can't remember.

Ragley is a spectacular Palladian house with decorated ceilings from the 1700s (never been touched since), landscaped gardens and the family still living in there - occasional glimpses of the current Marquis and his family of 18 to 11 year old Lords and Ladies (slightly strange). Anyway I had a bit of admiration for the family as, despite being Tory peers, the previous Marquis revolted against Enoch Powell's rabid immigration proclaimations.

But here is Alcester, old shops, old people, and completely charming.