Pimms, Murder Mysteries and Sheep!

Pimms, Murder Mysteries and Sheep - where else could you get all three in one place?? I spent a sunny Sunday afternoon last weekend with my lovely friend Julie, having a long, lazy lunch and drinking Pimms at Sutton Hall in Macclesfield. Julie always thinks of wonderful places to go to, and Sutton Hall is beautiful - it's an old manor house converted into a traditional pub and resteraunt, and it's full of interesting nooks and crannies and lovely original features. I loved the old wooden gate hidden away at the end of the grounds - it reminded me of "A Secret Garden"! The Hall has a really interesting history; it's 480 years old, and is the family home of the Earls of Lucan. There was a huge scandal in the 1970s when the sixth Earl of Lucan famously disappeared following the murder of his nanny. He's never been found, though over the years several people have claimed to have spotted him! If you like a good murder mystery, you can read the full story here! Also at one point in it's history the Hall was used as a convent, and there is a barrow in the grounds that is apparently from a Bronze age crematorium site! The Hall was also the birthplace of Ralph Holinshed, a 16th century scholar whose historical chronicles were used as the basis for fourteen of Shakespeare’s plays. It was really interesting to find out about the Hall's past; next time I go I'll be looking out for Lord Lucan whilst I'm sat drinking my Pimms! And being the city dweller that I am, of course I had to take a photo of the sheep - well, we don't see them very often in the middle of Manchester! If you're ever in the area and would like to visit Sutton Hall you find out more via their website.