Day out at Croome.....

Saturday 7th November 2015 

We woke to a very overcast sky and decided to go and see a RAF museum in the grounds of a National Trust property, Croome Court near Pershore.  

When we arrived, sure enough there was a RAF museum and much to Ant's delight, or not, there was also a grand mansion house to explore in a beautiful parkland. The house is undergoing major restoration, but we were able to view the basement and ground floor.

The N.T. staff on that day were a mine of information regarding the reconstruction of the nearby village and the reshaping of the house and estate. 

These major changes took place when George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry hired Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in 1751. 

This was Brown's first major landscape and first architectural project. 

Celebrations will be held countrywide in 2016 to mark 'Capability' Brown's 300th anniversary. Croome Court must be worth a further visit next year, perhaps during the Summer months. 

Lancelot Brown designed a serpentine shaped river meandering through the estate

Lancelot Brown, was 
nicknamed  'Capability' 
from his habit of telling 
clients that their gardens had 'great capabilities'.

Orangery 

After looking around the house and grounds and learning about 'Capability' Brown and having a cup of tea, we had a look around the RAF museum on the estate.

Its amazing what went on in the 1940's especially during the war. RAF Defford used some 

of the parkland to house over 2,000 service personnel and scientists who tested radar at the secret airbase to meet new enemy threats.  Some of the wartime buildings remain which were used as sick quarters for the airbase.