Saturday, 10 March 2012

FIRLE EAST SUSSEX


I love this tiny village at the base of Firle Beacon. It is Bloomsbury land. Virginia Woolf lived in the village, not for long, but still. Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and VB's son Quentin are all buried in Firle Churchyard.





The pub, the Ram Inn www.theraminn.co.uk, although a bit 'Gastro pubby' showy, is amazing. Lovely walled orchard garden with play area and loads of tables. The front garden is called the beach as it is all pebbles and in the summer so laid back and perfect for chilling. The food is NOT pub food, it is restaurant food.
On the drive out of Firle there is a house that sells roadside flowers/plants and bags of veg. I always bring back a few plants and just pop the money in the cashbox.
GLYNDE is just up the road, Opera aside, it is a beautiful village with summer fetes and car boot fairs, all so British and lovely and proper like.
Just down the road is Charleston House www.charleston.org.uk This was the home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, original Bloomsbury group. We took a guided tour and saw the studio as well as the bedrooms and sitting rooms. Simple, small rooms, wooden floors and rugs, ceramics, white linen loose covered armchairs with antique indian throws. We didn't get to see the kitchen though, but you can peep through the window on the gravel drive.

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