Thirty-four members of the Pembrokeshire National Trust Association recently visited Hampshire and West Sussex on their autumn tour, based at the Royal Beach Hotel on the seafront at Southsea. On the journey down, they visited Wilton House near Salisbury, home of the present 18th Earl of Pembroke. The group received a warm welcome and thoroughly enjoyed their tour of one of the Treasure Houses of England and it's beautiful gardens.
On the next day, the visit was to Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard. On the short journey, association member and retired Naval officer, George Yeomans, was able to assist members in identifying various landmarks and maritime features in and around the seafront and dockyard. Despite some rain in the early afternoon, members were able to tour HMS Warrior (moored at Pembroke Dock before being restored), HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Ship Hall and numerous other attractions in the dockyard.
Of particular interest was the Mary Rose Museum, containing the thousands of Tudor artefacts raised from the sea bed with the hull of the Mary Rose in 1982.
Petworth House and Park in West Sussex was the next attraction visited. This vast late 17th Century mansion contains the National Trust's finest and largest collection of paintings and also has 700 acres of landscaped grounds.
It was fortunate that on the day there was an exhibition of embroideries from the Royal School of Needlework, which delighted the ladies in the group.
The underground tunnels and what was once the largest domestic ice house in England were also open to visitors on the day. Some members walked in to the quaint Petworth village with it's numerous antique shops.
On the return journey, a visit was made to Mottisfont Abbey and gardens near Romsey. On the Abbey tour members were able to see the drawing room decorated by the famous Rex Whistler. However, the key attraction here is the grounds with it's magnificent trees and the walled garden containing the National Collection of Old Fashion Roses, at their best in mid-June. Members could only imagine the colour and scent at that time of the year.
The tour organiser and leader was committee member Roland Edwards.