Hi all, apologies for brief hiatus – though if you’ve
followed my other blogs some sporadic-ness (sporadicity? Sporadation?) was to
be expected. I’m terribly busy and important. HA! Speaking of VIPs however,
this week’s shoot took place at Fulham Palace – previous homestead to the
Bishops of London, who – as the palatial nature of their house might suggest –
used to be a pretty big deal. It’s not really a “Palace” of course, but a
rather charming manor house, which was called a palace because the Bishops were
known as the “Princes of the Church”. In any case, it must have been a darned
nice place to live… so why don’t you read on to find out why?
This gorgeous manor house was first acquired by Bishop
Waldhere all the way back in 700AD and was the main residence of the Bishops of
London until 1973! Which is crazy when you think about it… The Fulham Palace
estate used to cover what is now Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, Acton, and
Finchley (so not exactly humble) and boasts England’s longest moat which is now
13 acres long, but used to stretch for 36!
The house is soaked in history and is a mishmash of styles
and periods. The main building is Tudor, with a Great Hall which dates back to
1495, alongside Georgian additions and a Victorian chapel. From 1972,
excavation work in the grounds started turning up artefacts from the Neolithic,
Iron Age, and Roman times. Although the buildings still belong to the Church,
they are now looked after by the Fulham Palace Trust, and boast a museum, a
tea-shop, and some rather lovely gardens.
We went on a grey Sunday so the house was fairly quiet.
Actually, it’s a very peaceful place in general, even with the occasional small
child running amok. This was excellent news for me because I didn’t have to
feel like a total muppet, waltzing around in my backless dress and floaty
skirt. Woohoo!
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| DEFINITELY wasn't pretending to be a Bishop. Uh uh, noooo way. Nope... |
I must say, I wasn’t blown away by the museum sections of
the house – they’ve got some fun bits and bobs for kids – but it’s fairly basic.
The rooms have had very little done to them – which was nice in a way. It might
have been interesting to have seen one or more of the rooms furnished – but
it’s not totally necessary. And the tea-shop – although it’s a gorgeous space
with lovely views – was a bit of a let-down… Almost entirely because of the
cake. Yes, I am fully aware that that is petty... but if I have culture to soak up, I want to do it with a good bit of synthetic-jam-free Victoria sponge,
goshdarnit! And when the cake is bad I sure as hell don’t want to pay £10 for
two slices and some tea. Disappointing.
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| Obligatory "Fran gazes at a plane" photo |
The real star for me were the gardens, beautifully kept,
with lots of free space for kids to run around in, and a functional walled
garden where you could buy your own plants- Which we did! We now have a Fulham
Palace cabbage, marjoram, and sage, basking in the English sun on our balcony. (Feel
free to follow me on Instagram for pictures and other less-horticultural gems).
In terms of outfit - I chose this dress because I love how
the high neckline makes it look vaguely ecclesiastical…only for that to be
totally undermined by the back. And the length. Thank you maxi skirt. This was
actually the dress I wore to the “after party” when I left school – so I’ve
either become taller or less brave…either way, it is VERY short now.
I also wanted to tap into the idea that Bishops were the “princes of the church” and go fairly opulent and regal. Hence hella’ jewels and lace woo.
I also wanted to tap into the idea that Bishops were the “princes of the church” and go fairly opulent and regal. Hence hella’ jewels and lace woo.
At least my shoes were sensible this week – the perfect
stomping boots and my personal favourites. You can’t see but the patent
“leather” has started to flake off. No idea what I will do when they finally
bite the dust- so let’s channel the Bishops and pray for them!
On a final note - If you’re planning impending nuptials (or a
rather less romantic conference) and you like the look of this place – you’re
in luck! It can be rented out for “weddings, parties, and corporate
entertainment” (Gosh, doesn’t “corporate entertainment sound like a riot?).
Find out more here!
Opening times = Mon-Thurs 12:30-4:30, Sunday 12-5pm (Summer)
Mon-Thurs 12:30-3:30, Sunday 12-4pm (Winter)
Mon-Thurs 12:30-3:30, Sunday 12-4pm (Winter)
Admission = Free!
Closest Tube station = Putney Bridge
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