< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ HOMESWhen Mr Hart became ill, the couple moved and sold thehouse to Philip Brown. The property was then sold on to Lesand Elsie Padley, who sold it to Stewart and Fiona in 1992.The house originally sat in two acres of land with a paddockand an orchard. Some of the land was sold off fordevelopment and the Padleys built a bungalow at 4 WestcliffeRoad on top of the old tennis courts.Stewart MacDonald tells us, “Westcliffe House has changedconsiderably over the years. Originally, the main entrance tothe property was, in what is now, the recess overlooking thepatio. The doorway can still be seen but there is no evidenceof it on the inside, in the dining room. There was alsooriginally a fireplace in this room.“The utility room was a wooden structure with a glass roof.Philip Brown changed this to brick and built on the frontporch, changing the main entrance into the house. This was adoorway into what is now the cloakroom.“In Mrs Hart’s time, the hall was the larder which wasaccessed from the kitchen down some steps. Philip Brown alsomade this into the hall.“Originally, the kitchen was two rooms – a kitchen and amorning/breakfast room. This was opened up, but an archwayseparated the two areas. We knocked down the arch in 2008,updating the room and making it open-plan. We theninstalled a superb, state-of-the-art contemporary kitchen.”Modern livingSet on a large enclosed corner plot, the heart of WestcliffeHouse is the sitting room which is a fabulous room forentertaining. The main feature here is a lovely, original marbleopen fireplace with a carved wood surround. The woodflooring is also original and gives a fabulously authenticambience to this room. French doors lead out onto the patio,the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine or two in the evening!The kitchen and breakfast room is equally as impressive andhas been completely renovated in the last three years.Beautifully fitted, there is an extensive range of coordinatingbase and wall units, as well as a fabulous tiled floor andunder-floor heating.The MacDonalds changed the original dining room into asnug. They now use one end of the formal sitting room as adining area and Stewart tells us that this room is perfect in thewinter, with its open fireplace, and great in the summer as itleads directly onto the patio and gardens. Fiona is particularlycreative and all of the interior design and decor has beencompleted in keeping with the age and style of the house.Many of the soft furnishings and curtains were handmade byThe master bedroom is light and airy withhuge original windows allowing plenty oflight to flood inThere is originalwood flooring in thedining room andsitting room.18-21:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:45 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21READERS’ HOMESFiona and perfectly complement this elegant and imposingperiod residence.Upstairs, the five bedrooms are light and airy with hugeoriginal windows allowing plenty of light to flood in. Afabulous stained glass window adorns the landing and othernotable features include original cornicing and a lovelyarchway leading through to the guest bedrooms.Outside, the enclosed gardens are principally laid to lawnwith mature trees, shrub beds and borders, as well as anattractive south facing patio area. Westcliffe House issurrounded by gardens and has two gates leading into thedriveway of the property. This attractive period residence is a perfect family home.Combining modern aspects with authentic features, WestcliffeHouse is truly a unique and elegant property.Westcliffe House is on the market with Chesterton Humberts at aguide price of £495,000.A large and contemporary family bathroomThe enclosed gardens at Westcliffe House areprincipally laid to lawn with mature trees, shrubbeds and bordersBroadway CarpetsCurtainsMatthew Temple House, The Broadway,Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, LN10 6STT: (01526) 353 484 F: (01526) 353 584E: broadwaycarpets@btconnect.comwww.broadwaycarpetsandcurtains.co.ukBroadway Carpets and Curtains Ltd offer topquality soft furnishings, elegant lighting withthe latest trends in wall coverings. We now supply all types of wood and Luxury Vinyl Flooring.Established for over 11 years in WoodhallSpa but have over 40 years in the industry.- We cover the whole of Lincolnshire- Family run business- In-house fitting team- Prompt service on all products- Free measuring and estimating service with no obligationWe are now stockists of Sherborne Furniture.Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm, Saturday 9.00am - 5.00pmClosed Mondays, Sundays by appointment.Own Car Park for convenient free parking.18-21:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:45 Page 422 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYANTIQUESThese days there seems to be an app to assist with almostanything you require, but in the past, all manner of lateralthinking had to be applied to deal with the problems of theday. One great example recently made a substantial amount ofcash at auction here in the county.This was an unusual clock made inhomage to a clockmaker who inventedthe marine chronometer. Mr Harrison’sSea Clock by Sinclair Harding ofCheltenham was made to pay tribute toJohn Harrison, a renowned clockmaker inthe seventeenth century who invented adevice which solved the problem ofestablishing the longitude of a ship at sea– a vital factor for the travellers of theday. So momentous was this device thatits principles continued to be use manyyears on – such as in the clock up for saleat auctioneers Golding Young & Mawer inLincoln.Auctioneer John Leatt says, “Harrisonmade the famous Marine Chronometer.The clock in this sale was unusual because it had linked barbalances or compound pendulums designed to allow the clockto function when not level. It also had one of Harrison’sfamous grasshopper escapements. We expected a great deal ofinterest in the clock from collectors onsale day and were delighted when thehammer fell at £1,550.”A number of other notable items wereup for grabs in the recent sale. A rareFlambe vase by Bernard Moore,depicting an owl catching mice, sold for£975, well over its estimate of between£600 and £800. It was brought into oneof the auction house’s free valuationdays and sold to a collector bidding overthe telephone.A very rare Royal Doulton characterjug titled The Hatless Drake, which hasthe words “Drake he was a Devon man”printed in relief across its shoulders, soldfor £1,400. John Leatt says, “This jug,which was designed by Harry Fenton,Antique items right on timeA host of delightful items have gone under the hammer in LincolnshireYour home may notbe such a treasuretrove at ManorHouse atWaddington, thecontents of whichrecently went underthe hammer, butthere may well besomething specialMr Harrison’s Sea Clockpaid tribute to JohnHarrison and made over£1,500 at auction recently22-23:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:47 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY23ANTIQUESwas made in limited numbers in1941 and then taken out ofproduction. A later design whichdepicts Drake wearing a hat waslater made but these only make amaximum of £30 at auction.”An early 19th century Britishcavalry sabre sold for £750, wellover its £300 to £400 estimate. Thesabre featured a blade engraved withpowder flask flags and othermilitary emblems on a blackenedground and had a leather and steelscabbard and black shagreenhandle, while a collection of Rockand Roll memorabilia left bidders allshook up when it sold for £550. Itincluded items signed by EddieCochrane and Gene Vincent.In the clocks section, an early nineteenth century longcaseclock with an estimate of £300 to £400 sold for £520. Theclock featured an arched dial painted with a bride in a riverlandscape and although the dial was unnamed, the case wasalmost certainly by a Lincolnshire manufacturer.In the bygones section, a large album of cigarette cards soldfor £925, well above its £300 to £400 estimate. The albumincluded cards from Atkins and Son, the American TobaccoCompany and Wills Woodbine with cards depicting VictoriaCross heroes, regimental uniforms, world leaders and navalwarships. A highlight, meanwhile, of the furniture section wasa Victorian walnut and marquetry side cabinet which sold for£360 and a Victorian oak library bookcase sold for £420.Examples such as this illustrate the potential valuable itemsthat can be found in homes across Lincolnshire, hence thesuccess of the regular valuation clinics many auctioneers run.CJM Auctions’ days are particularly popular – they host freeantique valuation clinics every Thursday at The Angel Suite inBrigg’s Market Place and every Friday at the CJM AuctionCentre in Dunlop Way, Scunthorpe.Lincolnshire’s treasure trove is something TV antiquesexpert Paul Martin doubtless discovered when he brought hisshow Flog It! to Normanby Hall recently. The Valuation Daywas held at the Park near Scunthorpe earlier in July – a highlyappropriate setting given the fascinating historical treasurescontained within. The most interesting items found at thevaluation day will go under the hammer in the Flog It!auction will take place at the Lincoln saleroom of Golding,Young and Mawer on Wednesday 15th August.Previous programmes have seen a small cream jug sold atauction for £1,300, a ceramic bowl bought for four quid at acar boot sale achieving £1,500, and a lady in Aberdeen sold aShelley tea set for a huge £3,400. More recently the showsurprised a gentleman who brought in a ceremonial cup -which later sold for £44,000. Perhaps something equallyspectacular will be found here in the county.Items recently discovered by PaulMartin on Flog It! will go under thehammer in Lincoln this month22-23:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:47 Page 2Readers’ gardens rarely come as big as this six acre garden in Branston, nearLincoln, with stunning mature trees and picturesque sweeping lawns...A garden of distinction24 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENShe garden of John and JudyTinsley at Ashfield House,Branston is a hidden oasis,covering almost six acres andconstructed around a planting ofmajestic trees and pretty shrubs. Themain feature in the springtime is acollection of some ninety floweringcherries of forty different varieties. With beautiful sweeping lawns andmassed plantings of spring floweringbulbs, this garden is in a uniquesetting, beautifully situated around alarge pond.2012 is the first year that the gardenhas been opened to the public, to raisefunds for the National GardensScheme. John and his wife are nextlooking to open the garden in theautumn, possibly late October.The garden used to be considerablysmaller, as most of the adjoining landwas used as paddocks for the familyhorses. But, over the past twelve years,John has converted the paddocks intogardens and lawns and taken outsome of the old Victorian shrubberies.He enlisted the help of well-regardedlandscaper Bill Spinks to design anddevelop much of the garden,particularly to the west side. In fact,around 55,000 daffodils andthousands of snowdrops wereplanted.The garden is surrounded by woodsto the west and north, which sheltersand protects the shrubs and bulbsfrom the cold winds and adverseweather conditions. Opposite thehouse is a wonderful lake whichattracts a variety of wildlife and birdsthroughout the year.The driveway leading up to thehouse is beautiful especially in earlyspring when it’s lined with a gorgeousselection of daffodils, aconites andother spring bulbs.John’s newest project is the creationof a magnolia garden which will beplanted in the autumn. John isassisted by gardener Tom Coopland,who helps with the day to daymaintenance of this six acre outdoorspace!Close to the entrance of the house isa lovely wildflower garden withbluebells, aconites and a host ofmature trees. The fields and paddocksaround Ashfield House have now beendeveloped into beautiful sweepinglawns.One of the most striking features ofthis garden is the wonderful collectionof mature trees, including impressiveblue cedars and copper beech, as wellA garden of distinctionReaders’ gardens rarely come as big as this six acre garden in Branston, nearLincoln, with stunning mature trees and picturesque sweeping lawns...TT24-26:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:49 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY25READERS’ GARDENSas majestic pines and larch. Thecontrasting colours of the copperbeech and blue cedar look fantasticagainst the backdrop of the blue skyand the green lawn below.A pretty stream runs through themiddle of the garden towards the lakeand through to the fields beyond.Close by to the stream is a flower bedfull of irises, pink hawthorn andhydrangea.Adjacent to the house is an oldconservatory which John hasconverted into an outbuilding forstorage. Wisteria climbs up the wallsand beds of tulips, roses and peoniesadd a splash of colour.Nearby is a pretty fenced and walledgarden which is the old Victorianshrubbery. Here, there are 28 differentvarieties of shrub roses, which wereplanted in the springtime around twoyears ago.To the other side of the Victorianrose garden is a fabulous Indian horsechestnut and a young Cedar ofLebanon.Following the conversion frompaddocks to gardens, the progressiveplanting of 55,000 daffodils began,with at least eight thousand plantedlast year alone. At the far end of thegarden, there are also seven differentvarieties of aconites. To the west sideof the house is bluebell wood. The newest project at AshfieldHouse, however, is the creation of alovely magnolia woodland garden. Amass of spruce trees have been felledready for the planting of themagnolias in the autumn. This is awarm shaded area which will lookfabulous next summer.John is passionate about trees andmany different species have beenplanted to create variety and interestall year round, particularly for thespectacular display of colours andvarying shades of red in the autumn. To the north end of the garden, justover a hundred cherry trees have beenplanted, including forty differentvarieties. Around the cherry garden,there are over 15,000 daffodils of theThalia variety.John also points out to us hisexclusive ‘Princeton Elm’ which wasbred in the US and is resistant to elmdisease. A unique tree, which is highlyvalued, it is one of a kind owned byPrince Charles and is well-known forits regal status and exclusivity.The main cherry garden was plantedin 2007 and many of the trees are wild26 24-26:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:49 Page 226 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENSflowering cherries from Japan,particularly the Prunus ‘Ukon’ varietywith their pretty weeping branches.Other notable trees include ‘serrula’,known for its mahogany-coloured barkwhich resembles copper.To the front of the house there aremagnificent views of the lake. Anatural stream course runs throughthe garden and planted near to thewater are Florida swamp Cyprus,which are a lovely rusty shade in theautumn. To the back of the lake areAustrian pines, which give essentialprotection to the garden. Othermature trees shading the lake arebeech and lime, some of which arearound forty years old.To the west of the lake are fiveyoung horse chestnuts and a row ofhornbeams to the back of the garden.Another rare feature of this fabulousgarden is a fully mature elm, whichJohn tells us must be about 150 yearsold. It is very lucky to have survived,as most succumb to elm disease and atsome point in their lifetime.The garden at Ashfield House iswell worth a visit, so look out foropen days in the autumn and nextSpring. This garden is wonderfullyunique with its majestic lake,sweeping lawns, fabulous mature treesand indeed the magnificent display ofthousands of daffodils and bulbs inthe spring.Ashfield House is located on LincolnRoad in Branston. For furtherinformation, contact the Estate Office on01522 791555. Groups are welcome byappointment from March through to June.24-26:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:49 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27GARDENSrganisers were expectingaround 15,000 visitors tothe show, which offeredthousands of plants, flowersand a host of equipment for sale fromnational sellers and specialists. Withrain on the Friday threatening to put adamper on the event, it soon clearedup for a warm weekend, even with theshowground being waterlogged inplaces. It was nothing that a pair ofwellies couldn’t deal with and fromthe looks of things, the event wasenjoyed by exhibitors and visitorsalike. The show boasted flower and designspecialists who were on hand to handout advice and growing tips to visitors.‘How to’ zones on forestry andlandscaping meant inspiration wasflowing for anyone interested. As a main feature to the show, theBritish Isles Rose Society held theirfirst National Rose Show, whichattracted national exhibitors includingFred and Mary Barns from the LakeDistrict and Tony and Alice Bracegirdlefrom Ramsbottom who have been thenational champions for the past 16years. There was also a display of sweetpeas from exhibitors as part of thissection of the show.The floral displays marquee wasoverflowing with colour, with displaysfrom Driftwood Bonsai, DargemCarnations, Ackrel Fuchsias, The FernNursery and exotic plants too. TheLincolnshire branch of the HardyPlant Society were also in attendance,promoting their open garden eventswhich take place over the summer.With an envious amount of memberswith impeccable gardens open to visit,it was a chance for people to join andopen up a network of like-mindedgardeners. Gardeners didn’t go hungry either,with the Festival of Food and Drinktaking place under a covered marquee,with excellent local as well as nationalartisan food producers present.Delicious-looking confectionery,sauces and local produce were on offerand proved a real hit with visitors.It’s a great example of how theshowground is bringing nationalevents to the county, so long may itcontinue. We’ll be taking a trolleynext time to fill with the wonderfulplants and flowers on offer!Lincoln’s passion for gardeningLincoln’s Showground recently played host to a real treat for the county’sgardeners with All About Gardening 2012.O27:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:50 Page 128 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WALKSExploring Lincolnshireon footWe begin from the Market Placewhere markets have been heldsince Alford got its charter in1263. But before setting off strollacross to the Windmill Inn withits blue plaque commemoratingThomas Paine who thoughNorfolk born lived and worked asan exciseman here. He is bestremembered of course for his life andwritings – including “The Rights ofMan” - completed in America where healso helped Jefferson and Franklin towrite the Declaration on Independence.St Wilfrid’s church, set upon a grassyrise, dominates the High Street and ispredominately in the C13th and C14thDecorated and Perpendicular styles,though much restored – with added bits– by Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. Roomsabove the fine porch once served as thegrammar school, a notable pupil beingthe adventurer John Smith from nearbyWilloughby. Smith too went to Americabecoming the first governor of Virginiaand remains forever linked with theIndian princess Pocahontas who savedhis life.The stream of the “Ford of the alders”the town.Rigsby is the “village on theridge “ (or hill) and commandsfine views over Alford to the coast.The little church of St Jamesstands on the site of an earlySaxon one that is believed to pre-date any church in Alford itself.The present building, in VictorianNeo-Gothic, was designed by JamesFowler of Louth, built in 1863 and cost£685, to which all the local labourerscontributed a week’s wages. Inside anancient photograph shows the formerthatched church, which this onereplaced. On the north wall is displayeda sword and helmet unearthed in thechurchyard and believed to date fromthe 15th Century.The old railway briefly followed as wereturn to Alford was opened in stages tolink Grimsby and Peterborough (andthen London) and was the first routebuilt by the Great Northern Railway.This section was opened with greatcelebrations on 3rd September 1848.Passenger services were withdrawn on3rd October 1970 when Alford Townband played the “Last Post”.ALFORD MARKET PLACEAT WELLMANOR HOUSE ALFORDAlford and RigsbyWe sample some spectacular viewsfrom the eastern slopes of theWolds on this scenically varied walkfrom Alford.that gave Alford its name still flowsadjacent to the thatched Manor Housein High Street – though it is mostlynow culverted. The Manor House itselfunderwent a major restoration in 2006,including the rear walled gardens - wellworth a visit! It dates originally from1611 and is the largest thatched ManorHouse in England.The most well-known episode inAlford’s history is the occurrence of theplague (25 years before London) in1630. Like Eyam in Derbyshire theinhabitants voluntarily sealedthemselves off from the outside worldalthough, with a estimated populationof less than a thousand, there were 160deaths within a few months. Supplieswere left at Miles Cross(roads) on thepresent day A1104 a mile to the west of28-29:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:53 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY29LINCOLNSHIRE WALKSNOTES.There is free parking beyond the bridge at therear of the “Pay & Display” carpark off South MarketPlace.THE ROUTE.Walk through South Market Placekeeping right to the church and then go left along HighStreet to the Manor House. There turn right along ParkRoad to its end where a gate gives access to a meadow.Veer left to a gate in a hedge and continue across twofields to meet a track. Ignore paths going right towardsTothby Manor but at the farm road keep left crossing acattle grid into a lane and turn right. Follow this (twisty)lane for almost a mile; take the lane on the left by agarden centre.Continue to a footpath sign on the left immediatelybefore some woods (Ailby Plantation). Walk beside thesefor 150 yards then veer left to a waymark and footbridge.Once across walk straight over an arable field towards theleft hand corner of more trees seen ahead where a stileaccesses a sloping meadow with a four way footpath signnearby. Continue ahead up the field. At the top, just nearthe middle, reach another stile. Now veer left between acottage and Rigsby church to join a road.Turn right for 250 yards and then take the rising trackon the left. When this ends follow a field edge path besidethe hedge just to your right, which after a zigzag, curvesgradually leftwards, passes a house and comes to a road.The path continues in the woods opposite stayingclose to the perimeter fence for a quarter of a mile toreach a stile on the right. Cross a meadow, heading forthe right hand end of the trees ahead. At another stilejoin a track, turn right and on reaching a farmyard takethe track to your left. Follow this past a copse, then keepahead along a grassy strip over a field to enter Well Valewoods at another track. Go left and ignoring any sidetracks follow the main one to a gate at a road.Keep ahead downhill, going forward at the “T”junction in Well for another quarter of a mile; then takethe signed track on the left. This soon swings right to ametal kissing gate below the old railway embankment;turn left along the top of this. In 220 yards turn right offthe railway and cross a footbridge onto a field edge paththat soon passes between houses to a road. Take theenclosed path opposite and at the next road (HolywellRoad) keep ahead taking the second right and crossingHamilton Road. Finally turn left along South Street backinto Alford.by Hugh MarrowsFACTFILESTART: Alford South Market PlaceMAPS: OS Landranger 122 (Skegness) • Explorer 274DISTANCE: 8½ miles • 13.25 kilometresREFRESHMENTS: There is a wide choice in AlfordRIGSBYSt WILFRID'S CHURCHALFORDTHE VIEW FROMRIGSBY CHURCHYARDWELL VALE WOODS28-29:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:53 Page 2Next >