Stroud Civic Society organised a car-share trip to Cerney House and Gardens on the 14th August.
On arrival, after passing a simple selection of plants for sale, visitors are greeted by a wooden entry ‘Honesty Box’, fixed to a shed-kiosk. This box sets the tone for visitors to drift through woodland paths; along sweeps of mown lawns; past two or three penned-in ducks; through avenues of colourful, herbaceous flower beds to a stream leading into a small lake. Not once are visitors hampered on the way to the Bothy Cafe by: ‘Have you paid? No Entry!’, Walk this way’, ‘Keep off’ signs. Only in the Bothy Cafe will visitors find refreshment prices with another ‘Honesty Box’.
Our trip began with a fascinating introductory talk on the history of Cerney House by the owner, Nick Angus. We met him by his front porch, to hear that Cerney was built in 1660 by the Rich family and remodelled in the late 1700s in the Georgian style. This grand house, ten years earlier, had been inherited by Nick and his doctor wife Janet, from his parents Lord and Lady Angus.
He explained that proof of Roman settlements at Cerney House, through various excavations, had been strangely verified by large Roman snails, only found on Cerney’s land! In 1675, however, evidence showed 2,000 smaller versions had been recorded there.
More recent excavations in the nearby village of Bagendon by archaeology students in the mid 1980s, had uncovered a Roman villa, (AD 75-100). This villa turned out to be the earliest example of a Roman stone building in the Cotswolds, and stands within a late iron age enclosure. Interestingly, Nick explained, that from the back of his Bothy a scrub ditch, runs all the way to Bagendon, where the Roman villa, (one of the best preserved Roman sites) had been discovered.
With his time running out, Nick moved on through a long line of inheritors and buyers of Cerney House and gardens, all intent, as Jane Austen put it in a letter, on making ‘improvements’. One owner, however, is well worth looking up, a Kenneth de Courcy, who bought Cerney in 1953. Nick handed us a copy of an article about this owner, published this year in ‘The Times’. (Link below.)
Before we followed the gardeners Debbie and Kate up to the Walled Gardens, Nick told us that any plans for the original garden had long gone. However, this walled patch was to be the focus of Nick’s mother’s central focus, as she began researching, redesigning and planting her Kitchen Garden.
Arriving in the Walled Garden, Debby and Kate led us through the garden, describing their struggles and triumphs, identifying specific plants and answering our questions. Moving on up steps, we entered Janet Angus’s Apothocary Garden. It was divided into traditional sections; each with detailed labels, describing their separate healing qualities.Time stopped, as we took notes, called out to each other and photographed information labels and plants.
Once again, Debby and Kate, waited patiently, until, passing espaliered fruit trees, helibore beds, and a flourishing vegetable garden,we arrived at the BothyCafe. Here,fresh home-baked cakes, cups of tea, coffee and talk finally sent us off replete in every way, many any of us, I suspect, ready to research further details on Cerney House, its owners, and its beautiful gardens.
Times Article: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/the-bucolic-cotswolds-house-with-a-past-of-rogues-and-royalty-f0l6hcfd2 (Subscription Required)