Long Crendon Manor

At the end of last week we were able to break free from the boring old Premier Inn hotel and stay at a bed and breakfast. We had never been to a B&B before so we didn't have any expectations. After four nights at this place I know that if we had any, the Long Crendon Manor would have exceeded them considerably! Several TV shows and movies have been filmed at this place! We have since added Little Dorrit to our iTunes wish list but do not wish to see The Woman in Black any time soon. EEP!

A manor is more than just a house--we learned that this one has stables, barns, a main [large] house, a gatehouse, and acres of land. Sue told us the story of how her family acquired it in 1974 when she was 15 years old... she and her dad were house hunting while her mum was at work. The manor was the first one they looked at and decided they wanted it, so that's what they bought! It was in sad shape and only cost them £143,000 at the time, but Sue admitted that it is still a work in progress. I'd say they've done a very good job so far! :)

For more interesting reading on what a Manor did back in the day ("the day" = 12th Century) wikipedia is great. Learn about lords, serfs, cottars, etc. :)

Anyway, enough talk... you gotta see this place!

Breakfast was served in the Dining Room

These lovely animals made breakfast possible. :)

The St. Bernard named Coco "like Chanel, not The Clown".

The back gardens

The back patio was covered in grape vines full of plump and read-to-eat grapes. I didn't even think to try one. The were so beautiful!

I took so many photos with the SLR camera my sister sold us before we moved. This was the first excursion we were able to take with it in tow. You can see many more of them here with a bit of extra annotation. :)

Sue and Tim, the lovely people who run the whole place.  Also, the girls.

Sue and Tim got to meet Daniel Radcliffe while they shot The Woman in Black and apparently he is a really nice guy (although quite short--only 5'5"!). If you ever find yourself in Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire (which, according to Sue, is the center of the universe), you must stay at the Manor. Sue has one of the best senses of humor you'll ever encounter and she and her husband keep such a lovely and well-kept property that you would not regret one single pound spent to stay there.