Well it has been a while since I have written one of these so forgive me if I am a little rusty. After a successful day exploring up in Norfolk with Mookster and a non-forum member it was going to be difficult to top it on the Sunday.
I had tried to visit this place a few weekends before but partly due to the time we went and the general footfall in the area we had to call it off. Fast forward a couple of weeks and some hurried Facebook messenger conversations and I found myself back there in the early hour for attempt number two.
The history has been done but here it is again shamefully ripped from Mookster’s earlier report.
“Built in 1874 in a Mock Tudor style this Victorian Villa has been greatly altered and extended during its lifetime. Ian Gillan of Deep Purple fame purchased the villa in 1973 and was behind its conversion into a 32 bedroom hotel, and installed a guitar shaped swimming pool in the grounds behind the building. The last owners bought it in 1995 and added a large golf course and club to the grounds. The hotel closed in 2014 after the owners could no longer afford the upkeep, however the gold club, voted one of the best in Oxfordshire is still open.”
I was a little disappointed truth be told but it was still a nice chilled explore and good to be back out there a little more regularly than the last few years. Anyway on to the photos.
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Thanks for stopping by. P7
I had tried to visit this place a few weekends before but partly due to the time we went and the general footfall in the area we had to call it off. Fast forward a couple of weeks and some hurried Facebook messenger conversations and I found myself back there in the early hour for attempt number two.
The history has been done but here it is again shamefully ripped from Mookster’s earlier report.
“Built in 1874 in a Mock Tudor style this Victorian Villa has been greatly altered and extended during its lifetime. Ian Gillan of Deep Purple fame purchased the villa in 1973 and was behind its conversion into a 32 bedroom hotel, and installed a guitar shaped swimming pool in the grounds behind the building. The last owners bought it in 1995 and added a large golf course and club to the grounds. The hotel closed in 2014 after the owners could no longer afford the upkeep, however the gold club, voted one of the best in Oxfordshire is still open.”
I was a little disappointed truth be told but it was still a nice chilled explore and good to be back out there a little more regularly than the last few years. Anyway on to the photos.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Thanks for stopping by. P7
