Visit to Nanpantan Hall
Nanpantan Hall, situated on Nanpantan hill, on the way out of Loughborough towards the Charnwood Forest, is one of those places that you can just about see from some of the footpaths and permissive paths in the area, but it is not generally open to the public. True, it is available for hire for events and weddings, and is used as a learning space for students of the independent School of Philosophy and Economic Science, but it is not open to the public. However, over this bank holiday weekend, the house and grounds have been the location for a unique art exhibition, in which ‘history meets’ art, as the publicity said, and has been open to all, subject to pre-booking and adherence to the COVID-secure procedures.
For once I
was on the ball and managed to get myself booked in for a visit, although I did
get the last available ticket for the day, so I couldn't have been that prompt! Anyway, it
was a wonderful occasion to be able to visit a building that has so much historical
importance and connection to our town, and once inside, I had a good look
around at the art work, at all the family photographs, the documents and
possessions, and also watched a short film about the house. There was plenty of
opportunity to talk to the artists and the stewards on duty and it was
fascinating to hear their stories and learn from them.
The grounds were also open to visitors where there were a few stalls – a willow-weaver, a stone mason and Charnwood Arts, to name some – and the farm (Home Farm) was open for refreshments and were doing felting demonstrations. I actually took a bottle of water and an apple with me, so I stood near a bench with a beautiful view to have these in the open air, rather than inside.
The walled garden was
also available to walk through, and again, there were plenty of expert gardeners
on hand to help with gardening tips, as well as learning the history of the
gardens, the buildings on the site, and some of the gardeners who had been
employed in the past.
As well as
being installed in the house, artwork could be found in the grounds, like the pair
of willow horses in the meadow, and the pieces of paper, filled with visitors’ comments,
strung up on a washing line hanging amongst the volcanic rocks.
Apart from
the exhibition and the artwork, other things to see were things that are always
on the estate: some beautiful rhododendrons; horse chestnut trees; sheep – the list
goes on and on, but obviously changes with the seasons!
All-in-all, a memorable visit that will stick in my mind for years to come.
Posted by lynneaboutloughborough 30 May 2021
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Lynne
