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Golden Winter Sun
It’s the little things you come across when you’re exploring England that stick with you the most. I came upon Fiddleford Manor House completely by chance one day, and I was completely enchanted by it.
It was a special day, sometime between Christmas and New Year’s, when we were in England for the holiday season, back in 2013. I was on an expedition around Dorset and Wiltshire with a local photographer to learn to capture the landscape. It was a wonderful day out, exploring the countryside and taking the time to photograph it properly.
At the end of the day, we were exhausted, but we still had a little bit of daylight. I noticed in one of my apps that we were close to a restored manor house, and I asked to make one final stop. The sun would be setting soon, but we had that final golden late afternoon winter sun that I just love – and makes perfect pictures.
When we parked in the car park, we were the only ones there. We went down a small gravel path that led to the house. There was no admissions desk. It was simply unlocked, and we could go in and have a wander around. There was no one there, and there was nothing in the house. It has recently been restored so you can marvel at all the architectural details. There wasn’t even anywhere to sit.
But it was filled with the golden glow of the Dorset winter sun through the glass that was hundreds of years old. It was magical inside, despite the emptiness.
We lingered for a bit and soaked in the atmosphere. We took pictures, trying to capture the golden sun as best we could. And then we went on our way, pausing to photograph the Stour River at the bottom of the garden, which was at a record flood level.
I haven’t been back since, but I still think of this place often. It was a massive manor house, the home of an important person over generations of English history. Lovingly preserved forever.
I need to go back.
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