Family time at a Tudor mansion

Heading to a local National Trust property is always a winner when the parents pop by. My mum and dad live in Northamptonshire so when they visit, it's not only a great chance to catch up, it's like a weekend away for them too.

Luckily, the four of us share a lot of interests - visiting stately country homes being one of them. A short drive from our home in Hampshire is the intriguing Tudor mansion, The Vyne. Steeped in history, the site played host to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and saw a major renovation over 300 years later by a Victorian family who saw no other option than to lovingly restore and repair it despite having extremely limited funds.

Skip forward to present-day and The Vyne is once again the subject of extensive conservation work - this time by the National Trust. What's special about this renovation project is that visitors can actually see the work as its being carried out thanks to a special walkway around the roof.

It was mine and my husband's second visit to The Vyne and its temporary roof walk so it was fascinating to see how things had progressed. And, thanks to fine weather, the views from the top were an added bonus.

Bats and birds have made their home in the roof and scaffolding!

If you'd like to see The Vyne's rooftop restoration in action you better hurry! It's nearing completion so make sure you go before 28th Feb 2018. Go to https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-vyne for more information.