Monkey House

Bit overcast today although the sun did attempt to come through but failed. Went out on bike to do what we call the Monkey House run. On the way saw a large flock of greylag geese and two lapwings doing their aerial display. On the way back saw 3 roe deer.

The Monkey House is on the Formakin Estate which was bought in 1903 by John S Holms. He employed Sir Robert Lorime to design a mansion and surrounding buildings in a 17th C style. The courtyard entrance has a stone tablet inscribed with the date 1694 and the letters D.L. (it stands for Damned Lie).

Formakin became known as the Monkey House because of the stone monkeys which sit on top of the roofs of the gate houses. One of these gatehouses is in the photo.

The house has now been converted into flats.