Good flight from Dublin to Gatwick AP on Aer Lingus but not even a drink of water was offered!
Took ages to find our way out of the terminal and find the car hire offices (always organise before you leave home wastes time & money doing it on the spot).
Eventually hired the car then our GPS wouldn’t work. Only had a map on the netbook to follow. No street lights and round-about after round-about with only numbers to follow in hedge lined narrow streets. We landed at 17.30 and arrived at Ewhurst at 21.30, a distance of about 20Km! That might indicate how many times we got lost. So nice they still waited to have dinner with us.
Whinfields and Little Whinfields is a rambling old house in a country village called Ewhurst belonging to friends of Wendy’s. We had an upstairs bedroom. There were rooms and bathrooms everywhere. 
Curls (matriarch architect) lived in the roof in a self contained flat and office. Jane (& Mark) daughter No.1 lived in half of the house and our half was for guests. Bridget (& Lockie) daughter No.2 lived in Little Whinfields a small house she had built on the property. Both daughters have a studio/office between Whinfields and Little Whinfields. They meet everyday in the big house for lunch as they all work from home. Plus three big lovely dogs. What a great arrangement.
Curls (matriarch architect) lived in the roof in a self contained flat and office. Jane (& Mark) daughter No.1 lived in half of the house and our half was for guests. Bridget (& Lockie) daughter No.2 lived in Little Whinfields a small house she had built on the property. Both daughters have a studio/office between Whinfields and Little Whinfields. They meet everyday in the big house for lunch as they all work from home. Plus three big lovely dogs. What a great arrangement.
Went driving next day around Surrey. Climbed up Pitch Hill from where we got a good view of Surrey. 
We drove through Shere, a beautiful old village with a church that was built in 1200. We saw where the Anchoress of Shere in 1329 was imprisoned. 
Then onto Hever Castle where Anne Boleyn (2nd wife of Henry 8th) lived as a child. Beautiful grounds. Lakes, a moat and water features including a strange water maze. 
Exquisite lead light windows and carved panels in the rooms. 
King Henry VIII stayed there, when he was seducing Anne Boleyn
We drove through Shere, a beautiful old village with a church that was built in 1200. We saw where the Anchoress of Shere in 1329 was imprisoned. 
Then onto Hever Castle where Anne Boleyn (2nd wife of Henry 8th) lived as a child. Beautiful grounds. Lakes, a moat and water features including a strange water maze. 
Exquisite lead light windows and carved panels in the rooms. 
King Henry VIII stayed there, when he was seducing Anne Boleyn
Drove to Brighton for a quick look at the pebble beach and Brighton Pier, Sideshow Alley on the water. 
Bought some Rock candy. Fascinating Brighton Pavillion buildings, Indo-Saracen inspired architecture.
Bought some Rock candy. Fascinating Brighton Pavillion buildings, Indo-Saracen inspired architecture.
Back to Henfield to ‘The White Heart’ pub to meet up with old friends of Steve & Wendy’s and then to Paul’s cottage in Ashhurst. Listened to Leonard Cohen drank tea and wandered around his lovely garden and house in the country.
Took all the household to dinner at their favourite pub ‘The Parrot’ in nearby Forest Green. Delicious dinner of organic home grown food. No sign of a recession in this part of the country.
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