Having missed the SCCC Salt Line ride the previous day due to Open University commitments, followed by more study on the Sunday morning I was ready to make the most of some decent Autumn weather and to get out somewhere. We decided upon a visit to the National Trust’s Dunham Massey and, as it turned out, the Stamford Military Hospital commemoration.

Whilst we often cycle around Dunham Massey parish, and have even ran a 10k around the area earlier in the year, it has been a couple of years since our last visit to the Dunham Massey Park from which the village gets its name. Last time we mainly went for a walk around the deer park so this time we decided to visit the hall (which was closed last time we visited) and gardens.

Dunham Massey Park was the ancestral seat of the Earls of Stamford. The title was passed through several generations of the Booth and Grey families. Roger Grey, the 10th Earl of Stamford who on his death bequeathed the house, all of its contents and the estate to the National Trust.

The Hall dates back to the Georgian period, being built around the 1730s.

  

Part of the story of the Hall includes it serving as a military hospital in the first world war, and to commemorate the centenary of that period the Halls interior has been transformed back to how it would have looked. Stamford Military Hospital has been a two year event (and it was being constructed last time we were here – hence its closure) and it finishes in November. So, by chance, we visited just in time!

It was described as ‘Sanctuary from the Trenches’ since this was one of many auxiliary hospitals created to treat the wounded of the first world war.

At one point some actors mingled among the visitors and began re-enacting short scenes that typified living in the hospital.

The Grey family helped the injured soldiers to recuperate, and the young Lady Jane Grey in particular seems to have given over almost all her time serving as a nurse in the hospital.

After leaving the house we decided to take a walk around the gardens, and in particular the largest formal winter garden in England.

The autumn colours of the dahlias, salvias and asters brought the winter garden to life.

In one corner was the rose garden. Perhaps not at its best at this time of the year, but there was still colour to be found.

As we wandered back towards the house we were afforded an impressive view of the house across the lake.

And the autumn flowers in the borders nicely matched Sarah’s camouflage jacket!

  

There was still plenty of colour in the borders.

Of course we couldn’t leave without visiting the tea room in the new visitor centre.

  

This was a welcome return to Dunham Massey. In visiting the house and gardens we saw a completely different side to the property from previous visit. The Stamford Hospital is worth a visit alone …however you will have to hurry since it ends on 11th November.