Lacock Abbey
I’ve visited Lacock Abbey on two occasions, both times in October. It’s a lovely time to visit as the ivy on the house is a deep red, and all the surrounding trees on the property are changing colors. It makes for some lovely walks. Lacock Abbey was founded in 1232, and I’m very intrigued by the little bit I read about the founding nun, Ela of Salisbury. She became sheriff of Wiltshire after her husband’s death before deciding to become a nun. That is not a role I imagined women could hold at that time!
After the dissolution of the monasteries the abbey became a private home, and the cloisters were incorporated into the new design. The cloisters have made appearances in many films and productions, including the first two Harry Potter films where they became the halls of Hogwarts. The abbey also served as the set of Snape’s Potion’s classroom and Quirrell’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The courtyard is featured in the first film, as well as the Chapter House, where Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised while wandering the halls at night in his invisibility cloak.
Lacock also holds an important place in the history of photography. In 1835 the first photographic negative was created by then owner, William Henry Fox Talbot. The Fox Talbot Museum on site explores this history and more. It’s always fun to walk through old houses, and my favorite part is usually the kitchen. This was true at Lacock, too, mostly because of this old-fashioned, but very modern, shopping list. I would really like a Household Wants Indicator, wouldn’t you?