Tag Archives: England

Exploration

Gunnersbury Park: A Botched Museum Inside a Beautiful Park

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Main house museum

I decided to pay this old house and grounds a visit, it’s free to visit. However, I felt disappointed with the house. I did enjoy my walk around the grounds know.

There are two old houses there, the main house museum which you can visit inside and the other appeared to be going through a renovation? The main one, the museum, I’d have to say has been, from my perspective, has been botched! You walk in and they have added the reception area/shop which in my view should be moved out into a separate building from the main house.

You walk through into a few other rooms, you see a hallway with modern displays and a room off of it also setup in a modern way which doesn’t suit the history of the house what so ever.

There are then the three main rooms facing the gardens which have this lost grandeur and look ever so tired. Floor, ceiling and walls. That’s it! Lovely looking ceilings know! These were receiving a lot of natural light and on a preservation note, maybe not the best approach.

Then you find yourself down a corridor and meet the butler, this video, does he explain the house? Nope! This focus is more about the Upstairs Downstairs social narrative.  

I proceeded upstairs to the next floor and other than seeing the round banister I couldn’t really see much more. As all the doors to the other rooms were close! Up again, past this big elevator that took up a lot of room! The top floor was dedicated to an exhibit which really didn’t have any bearing on the surrounding area or grounds. Just fashion from modern people. That isn’t history!

After escaping this poorly curated mess of a house at least I got to see the grounds. The grounds themselves are nicely kept, mostly. However, they do need a lot of work on them in some areas. The interesting grotto bathhouse was closed off to the public as it hasn’t been maintained or kept well. Also, outside is a small orangey building, which also feels like it’s lacking love from the local community.

The Orangery

There are some fake ruins in the garden near to an area where once they had a stables. There are a few ponds one, constructed after the London clay had been removed for brick building which was part of the old industry of the area. So in essence, it’s worth coming just to explore the grounds.

Fake ruins

I feel what needs to be done with the house is that they need to work to bring it to a standard along the lines of Kenwood House in Highgate. Which at the top in Hampstead, now that’s a nice place to visit. Restore the furniture to the rooms, paintings. See if they can bring it in life with the past lifetime when the Rothschilds had the home.

At least you can get some nice walks here, far better to be outside anyway.

Gunnersbury Park, Popes Lane, London, W5 4NH
Can be reached from Acton Town tube station on the Piccadilly Line

review

Hawaiʻi – a kingdom crossing oceans review

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On right now in the British Museum is the Hawaiʻi exhibit A Kingdom Crossing Oceans, which is available until 25 May 2026.

I enjoyed the exhibit and found it easy to navigate, although for me there wasn’t enough art on display. But what was there was of fantastic quality. The quality and craftsmanship really do stand out, from the headdresses and cloaks to everyday objects.

You have a story starting with showing off the crafts and wares of the island, then straight to a letter sent to the then king of England (George III) to confirm that the English crown would help protect the island nation. The king was presented with a rather large cloak, finely crafted.

Cloak sent to George III of England

This then swiftly flows into the voyage of King Liholiho and Queen Kamāmalu across the seas, visiting many places on the way, reaching all the way to England. They managed to explore some of England and experience London, but behinds the scenes they were sadly mocked which can only be described as racism. Sadly, it didn’t end well for the pair, as they died from measles in their 20s and never got their engagement with the King of England at the time. They were left in their hotel with many of the objects they brought with them, and when the king found out what had happened, he organised a ship to return them home.

However, it is clear from the exhibit that England never did truly protect Hawaii, as America eventually conquered the island, dispelling the last of the royal family in what sounds like an imperialistic fashion, and in the last century the island became the 50th state of America.

My own little thought at the end: I pondered, should they get their independence back?

4 out of 5

Creepy fella, almost looks like it might have children’s milk teeth!
Quality of craftsmanship
A healing bowl imbedded with human teeth from past chiefs
Exploration

Syon House a hidden gem

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Often I’ve been to Kew Gardens, which seems to be turning into a yearly ritual, I will walk all the way around. There is a spot I like to sit at and the view has interested me for a while. Right across from this view point is a little-known place called Syon House.

I finally got there and little it is not. It feels hidden away but as you walk down and through the entrance you are greeted with a long driveway up to a house that looks like a castle, that is palatial inside. Owned by the Duke of Northumberland this estate sits in the leafy green Brentford part of London.

The house sits on a former church site and the catacombs still exist under the house. The main entrance of the house The Great Hall is kind of a love story to ancient Rome. You follow through into an Ante Room of a completely different colour scheme, made up of composite marble, like the film studios use today when making film sets. There is a sense of grandeur through-out the house with that ancient Roman Greek design by the famous James Adam who after his grand tour of Italy brought a number of styles back with him.

The Great Hall
The Ante Room

The Anti Room follows through into the Dining Room. This room is far more subtle in colour with white walls and gold leaf designs and the traditional solid oak stained floor. The next room is the Red Drawing Room, far more opulent with an intricately decorated celling. There is a lot softer feel to the room as the walls are lined with material instead of paint. And a large Axminster rug to disguise the hard wood floor.

By now you would have made it through to the Long Gallery serving as a library with many books. The fades of time are very much felt here, the colours are very faded. Was it once a pearl sky blue?

Don’t forget to inspect all the painting on your way around, painted by the famous artists of the day. Plenty of Van Dyke’s around! 

The Red Drawing Room
The Long Gallery

I had viewed many more rooms and then I exited to wonder round to have a look at the Great Conservatory which is on par in design as Kew Gardens, but not as jam packed with plants. Entering this area I was greeted with perfectly maintained grounds, a sea of ferns on one side and a perfect bed of meadow flowers on the other. There are areas of the grounds that need work on, but what a relaxing day out. Although I was worn out by the end.

The reason I call this a hidden gem, well there can’t have been more than 20 people around wondering around. I don’t believe Syon House is advertised and for such a beautiful estate. I guess everyone is at Kew.

https://www.syonpark.co.uk
Brentford, London, TW8 8JF

Football

Roy Hodgson failed tactically and showed no invention

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I found the game against Iceland very frustrating. Why he chose to go 4-3-3 completely changing the shape from the previous games I have no idea. Players didn’t seem to know their roles, we didn’t stretch the midfield and the attacking fallbacks didn’t overlap.

Hodgson changed the shape of the way we generally play and it didn’t suit the team. Why he doesn’t start with Vardy who is the best inform striker and he chose not to pick a single winger when English football is all about wing play.

So Roy Hodgson has just stepped down from his role. It’s time to change and freshen up the English coaching staff, someone younger who knows the game and won’t experiment in a major tournament.