About our trip to Hardy’s Cottage by members of the Book Group
This trip was an exciting experience especially regarding the fact that it was to a National Trust Resort with historical significance. One of the main things that set it apart from other houses owned by the National Trust was that you could actually touch and handle objects that were once owned by the famous boy “Thomas Hardy” himself and even handle books in his room. It soon became quite evident that in those times they weren’t exactly very tall, in fact, some may describe them as ‘midgets’ and their idea of a Hogwarts size castle would be 3mm by 2mm by 1mm, wow, what a sight!
They were poor enough to stop playing by the rules; they tended to enjoy a good spot of smuggling every now and then. The favourite place to hide their brandy that was smuggled into the country by the French at night was under the lawn in front of the house all ready to add to their cider from the orchard also located before the house just to make it a taste stronger: it’s better for selling that way. Despite this, they did not have much of a need to use money unless it was for the luxuries in life; they traded their goods like pigs and chickens for others at a dairy nearby. One of the more funny aspects of their house was that the stairway on one side of it was at least 85 degrees (angle) with ladder bars!
To warm their bed they had a metallic saucepan shaped, circular pot on the end of a stick; the main purpose was to heat up their beds, therefore, helping them get to sleep at night easily. Their beds, which were highly uncomfortable, were hard to sleep on so it was essential to them that they assisted the redundant beds with a heat boost. These pans are used by heating them over the fire and then waving them under the covers. Due to their lack of money, they were forced to reuse and recycle old, yet useful, cloth and had several uses for torn pieces of cloth: the use of the clothing before it is torn; mats for the floor after it is sewn into holed cloth; a bed-cover; and when it got old they would put it over the compost.
To keep their vegetables well fed, they would use their own waste, yes, their own, as plant food. The place where they would acquire this err......how shall we put it? ...waste was in the toilets outside (a hole in some wood with a pit at the bottom L)
To conclude this report, this was an awe inspiring trip. Thanks to St. Joseph’s for lending us a bus, the volunteers for showing us round and the St Mary’s staff and governors who gave up their time.
By: Luke M, Oscar M and Jack A.
This trip was an exciting experience especially regarding the fact that it was to a National Trust Resort with historical significance. One of the main things that set it apart from other houses owned by the National Trust was that you could actually touch and handle objects that were once owned by the famous boy “Thomas Hardy” himself and even handle books in his room. It soon became quite evident that in those times they weren’t exactly very tall, in fact, some may describe them as ‘midgets’ and their idea of a Hogwarts size castle would be 3mm by 2mm by 1mm, wow, what a sight!
They were poor enough to stop playing by the rules; they tended to enjoy a good spot of smuggling every now and then. The favourite place to hide their brandy that was smuggled into the country by the French at night was under the lawn in front of the house all ready to add to their cider from the orchard also located before the house just to make it a taste stronger: it’s better for selling that way. Despite this, they did not have much of a need to use money unless it was for the luxuries in life; they traded their goods like pigs and chickens for others at a dairy nearby. One of the more funny aspects of their house was that the stairway on one side of it was at least 85 degrees (angle) with ladder bars!
To warm their bed they had a metallic saucepan shaped, circular pot on the end of a stick; the main purpose was to heat up their beds, therefore, helping them get to sleep at night easily. Their beds, which were highly uncomfortable, were hard to sleep on so it was essential to them that they assisted the redundant beds with a heat boost. These pans are used by heating them over the fire and then waving them under the covers. Due to their lack of money, they were forced to reuse and recycle old, yet useful, cloth and had several uses for torn pieces of cloth: the use of the clothing before it is torn; mats for the floor after it is sewn into holed cloth; a bed-cover; and when it got old they would put it over the compost.
To keep their vegetables well fed, they would use their own waste, yes, their own, as plant food. The place where they would acquire this err......how shall we put it? ...waste was in the toilets outside (a hole in some wood with a pit at the bottom L)
To conclude this report, this was an awe inspiring trip. Thanks to St. Joseph’s for lending us a bus, the volunteers for showing us round and the St Mary’s staff and governors who gave up their time.
By: Luke M, Oscar M and Jack A.