Avebury Manor [Julie]

During the first two years of my undergraduate adventure, I lived across the pond in a quaint mid-sized city, Cardiff. You may know it as the capitol city of Wales, or you may know it as the city which contains a rift in time and space, Torchwood, and - not coincidentally - a large BBC presence. But my point, if I have one, is that I was pretty familiar with the culture we were exploring. Moreover, when the time came for us to visit Avebury, I had a battle plan: GET INSIDE AVEBURY MANOR.

I first visited Avebury not long after I moved to Britain, I was lucky enough to bond with a family that hosted me for weekend escapes to the countryside and cuddle time with their two eccentric dogs. That family won my heart when I learned that they too had a passion for visiting heritage sites. It was a cool, windy day when we visited the standing stones of Avebury, and I was awestruck... but I was also intrigued by the large house I could see in the distance. It looked old and historically significant, so of course, I wanted to get inside.

My hosts informed me that the manor was privately owned and closed to visitors at the time. I was hardly going to let that stop me, but thankfully by the time I made it back to Avebury with Olmert et al, the manor had caught the attention of the BBC and recieved a facelift. More importantly, I wasn't going to have to take a crash course in Criminal Trespassing to get inside. (Disclaimer: I am joking about the legally questionable ideas.)

Long story ... long, I made it inside Avebury Manor. Acheivement: Unlocked.

And let me tell you: It was one of the highlights of my trip. This wasn't just any house, it was a house museum in which you could touch ALL THE THINGS. Except the oriental wallpaper. Don't touch the oriental wallpaper, because that is some expensive wallpaper that apparently will combust when touched. Actually, it probably just smudged or became brittle, but I think my image serves as a better deterrent. Except to pyromaniacs.

I felt a bit like a four year old in the Disney Store in this house, I could not contain my excitement. I went from room to room sitting on all of the furniture, getting my picture taken by National Trust volunteers and generally making said volunteers slightly uncomfortable with my exuberance. But they found it endearing once I explained how long I had waited to tour this house, and how well it exceeded my expectations.

Avebury Manor isn't any old heritage house you can tour. Each room transports you to a different era. You can dine in the medieval times and then move to the study, where the rotary telephone plays a recording of the operator. The kitchen is full of soiled dishes, and the ghost of a lowly scullery maid washing up can be heard from unseen speakers.

I wish the entire class had had the chance to see what I saw, but there are only so many hours in the day. I'll be back the first chance I get.