Days Out With The Dead | Knole House, Sevenoaks

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

Clare McMurtrie, 2015

A couple of weeks ago we went on a day trip to explore Knole House, some parts of which date back to the 15th century. Knole is set within 1,000 acres of stunning parkland - Knole Park. The effect is that of a national park in the deepest countryside, not the grounds of a house just miles outside of London. 

Despite being battered by strong winds and cold weather, Knole proved a winner. My personal highlight was the perfectly preserved bedroom that was designed and fitted out for a visit by King James I. He never stayed in it! This place is magical and transports you to the time of Wolf Hall and Henry VIII - a truly memorable day out with the dead!

New Year, New You? | 2015 on Days With The Dead

Hello to you and I hope that 2015 is treating you well. Lets not mention the unacceptable gap between my last post and this one, which leads me onto my main point. I've never been much of New Years Resolutions person and 2015 isn't much different. Generally we make too many ambitious resolutions and give up the gym, teetotalism or museum date nights after January. However, I've decided to put finger to keyboard and set in stone some historical goals for the year ahead. 

As I mentioned before, I have been atrociously bad at keeping up with this blog over the past year and that has partly due to not having time and not making time for genealogy. I hope my goals for 2015 will change this!

1) Start researching more of my family tree again.

2) Blog my progress here on Days With The Dead.

3) Volunteer in a museum/archive/library.

4) Read at least 1 non-fiction history book.

What are your historical goals this year?