BY CHARLES EVANS
Sir William Sharington, a man of the Tudor renaissance, preserved the entire cloister (13th and 15th centuries) of the nunnery at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire which, c. 1550, he converted into a highly picturesque dwelling.
Sharington, servant of Protector Somerset, was a pioneer, with Sir John Thynne of Longleat in the new Italian architecture, and his work here comprises some of its most notable early developments in England.
Georgian Gothic remodelling of the Abbess’s Hall by Ivory Talbot (1753) contributes further to the romantic beauty of the home of Fox-Talbot, the pioneer of photography.
The abbey garden is the perfect destination for taking a relaxed walk all year around.
Carpets of snowdrops and crocuses brighten up spring days and our heavily scented rose garden blooms in June. In summer, the colourful flower borders in the botanic garden are a delight for visitors and busy bees and butterflies alike. The treetops turn into shades of red and gold during autumn, and the winter months are perfect for crisp walks past frozen ponds.
The Abbey and grounds are now stewarded by the National Trust.
