{"id":2065,"date":"2020-12-26T10:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-26T10:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=2065"},"modified":"2021-01-07T09:32:47","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T09:32:47","slug":"in-search-of-christmas-in-england-26th-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2020\/12\/26\/in-search-of-christmas-in-england-26th-december\/","title":{"rendered":"“In Search of Christmas in England”: 26th December"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Boxing Day was misty and inclined to a fine drizzle. We pottered round Corfe Castle for a short time and then decided we would seek pastures new at all costs.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stand another damp meal\u201d said Jumbo, \u201cand \u201cBridget\u201d nearly wept all over me again early this morning when she brought tea\u201d!<\/em><\/p>\n

So we packed up and left.<\/em><\/p>\n

We made a short tour East towards Poole Harbour and found Studland bay, very lovely and unspoiled, and the Knoll House Hotel situated close to the beach in lovely wooded country. Here we would gladly have stayed, but it was only a small place and full up. So reluctantly we came away.<\/em><\/p>\n

Studland Bay<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

But we promised ourselves another visit here, for the country round is very good and the bathing beach very attractive.<\/em><\/p>\n

We came westwards again through old Studland village, a picturesque much wooded place and in a tiny village pub had a cheery drink with the landlord, —<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first really bright word I\u2019ve passed with a soul\u201d said the poor Elephant as he was invited to take \u201cthe other half\u201d!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But we could not stay here either, – which Jumbo especially seemed to think was a pity!<\/em><\/p>\n

So we journeyed on to Swanage where we lunched at the Grosvenor Hotel. \u2013 Large, vulgar, crowded with bright young things \u2013 all determined to enjoy themselves at all costs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Swanage<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

But we ate a very good lunch and rather liked Swanage itself as a place.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From here we drove south to Langton Matravers and Tyneham \u2013 all good country, into lovely Lulworth with its deep narrow lanes and quiet stillness.<\/em><\/p>\n

Lulworth<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It is but a short distance to Dorchester and thither we were drawn irresistibly, for there is something that always speaks if home in that friendly old town, – that heart beat of the Hardy Country, which tho\u2019 never seen was as familiar in my youth as my own Cheshire lanes, read of over and over again by the fireside, by one who loved the books that have made \u201cWessex\u201d immortal, — my mother.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dorchester<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

We arrived at the \u201cAntelope\u201d in time for tea. \u2013 Fresh hot toast and jam and home made cake in front of a bright fire in the simply furnished beautifully kept Lounge –!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYes! There were two bedrooms vacant\u201d!<\/em><\/p>\n

We took them!<\/em><\/p>\n

We had a fearfully good hot simple dinner, well served and Jumbo found a bottle of wine that warmed his marrow, – so he said. He glowed over the fire in the lounge and fell to talking over his \u201cBoxing Day Brandy\u201d with two very pleasant young men, who had come down to hunt over Christmas and looked as if they\u2019d enjoyed themselves enormously! They roared over our sad story of Christmas and maliciously recited the menu from the day of their arrival in Dorchester. \u2013<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Antelope\u201d was indeed what we had been in search of!<\/em><\/p>\n

And so we talked late into the night and promised ourselves that delicious morning of leisure and comfort that we had anticipated — How long ago – ?!<\/em><\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Read the next entry here…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Boxing Day was misty and inclined to a fine drizzle. We pottered round Corfe Castle for a short time and then decided we would seek pastures new at all costs. \u201cI can\u2019t stand another damp meal\u201d said Jumbo, \u201cand \u201cBridget\u201d nearly wept all over me again early this morning when she brought tea\u201d! So we… Read more “In Search of Christmas in England”: 26th December<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1892,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[258,28,109],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1892"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2065"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2134,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065\/revisions\/2134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}