A glorious Indian summer’s day brought out 35 members of The New Club to visit one of the most beautiful houses in England, known as “An Indian Palace in the Cotswolds.” – Sezincote House, the private home of Dr. and Mrs. Edward Peake . And it certainly was.

Members first saw immaculate Repton designed water gardens, with streams and waterfalls and fabulous shrubs, all cascading through the gardens, built as an `Indian Mughal garden.  Some members of the party began their tour of this superb house, sadly not allowed to be photographed, whilst others went into the beautiful orangery and enjoyed homemade cakes and coffee.  When the entire party had finished seeing the house, they all agreed it was probably one of the most beautiful houses in England, both inside and out. The antiques and oil paintings, as well as tapestries inside, were superb, and the trompe l’oeil paintings of Indian scenes on one wall, had us all fooled.

A delicious light sandwich lunch followed, and the afternoon was spent in”The Jewel of the Crown of the Cotswolds, Chipping Camden. The history of the Cotswolds and Chipping Camden was explained in some detail, but the surprise was yet to come. They were taken into the Extraordinary David Hart silversmith workshop . This relic of the Arts and Crafts movement has been there since 1908, and subsequent generations of the Hart family have continued making some of the finest handmade silver in the world ever since. The present leader of the family is David Hart, who, in his 90s, turned out to welcome us. All the original workbenches and tools are still there and it was a wonder.

Then tea and cakes, and homeward bound after a very long, happy day out.