My great aunt Barb passion is studying our family's genealogy and part of her quest was to search out where here late husband's family came from in England. We weren't sure where the Fillingham's settled in England, but tried for the village of Fillingham just 8 miles north of Lincoln because there was a Fillingham Castle there. We headed out Monday morning in search of the unknown. We found the village and walked around the church there and a kind lady whose family had bought the Old Rectory across the way told us where to find the castle, but explained to us that it was owned by the Rose family...the same Roses who partnered with Cadbury to make Cadbury Roses candies.
Since it was lunch time by then we searched out a pub to eat at, luck has it that every pub within a 5 mile radius of Fillingham was closed on Mondays...we seriously drove about 20 miles round trip to three different villages looking for a place to eat. Instead of treking all the way back to Lincoln we settled on the village store in Ingrahm and bought some buns, ham, cheese, some crisps (potato chips), fruit and some beverages and had a nice picnic in the village green under a beautiful oak tree.
We headed back towards where we thought the castle was (and actually its not technically a castle but a stately home she told us). We ran into a Christmas tree farm and drove back into a field in attempts to find the public footpath the lady told us about. No luck so we stopped at the office of the tree farm. We found a gentleman and asked about the castle...he asked if they were expecting us. Obviously we said no, but said my aunt's family name is Fillingham and she came all the way from the States in hopes to see the castle. He told us to hold on and then follow him. He drove out of the tree farm and to a gate that lead up a very long drive shadowed by thick trees. He was actually leading us into the private drive of the castle. The girls were going crazy.
The gentleman explained that the house was occupied by his brother and sister-in-law...so we were actually talking to one of the Mr. Rose's. He took some pictures of us in front of the home and lined up the gardener to take us around the grounds. We found out that no actual Fillingham decedents actually lived in the house, nor did they probably every live in Fillingham as far as we could tell, but it was pretty cool what we got to experience and it brought my aunt to tears.
On our way back home we did stop in Lincoln so that we could take a look at the Lincoln Cathedral. We also had to make a stop in my favorite kitchen store and snack on some ice cream cones to get that boost of energy we needed to get home. The girls and I all got to experience some wonderful English hospitality in tiniest of villages in the heart of England today.
My great aunt Barb passion is studying our family's genealogy and part of her quest was to search out where here late husband's family came from in England. We weren't sure where the Fillingham's settled in England, but tried for the village of Fillingham just 8 miles north of Lincoln because there was a Fillingham Castle there. We headed out Monday morning in search of the unknown. We found the village and walked around the church there and a kind lady whose family had bought the Old Rectory across the way told us where to find the castle, but explained to us that it was owned by the Rose family...the same Roses who partnered with Cadbury to make Cadbury Roses candies.
Since it was lunch time by then we searched out a pub to eat at, luck has it that every pub within a 5 mile radius of Fillingham was closed on Mondays...we seriously drove about 20 miles round trip to three different villages looking for a place to eat. Instead of treking all the way back to Lincoln we settled on the village store in Ingrahm and bought some buns, ham, cheese, some crisps (potato chips), fruit and some beverages and had a nice picnic in the village green under a beautiful oak tree.
We headed back towards where we thought the castle was (and actually its not technically a castle but a stately home she told us). We ran into a Christmas tree farm and drove back into a field in attempts to find the public footpath the lady told us about. No luck so we stopped at the office of the tree farm. We found a gentleman and asked about the castle...he asked if they were expecting us. Obviously we said no, but said my aunt's family name is Fillingham and she came all the way from the States in hopes to see the castle. He told us to hold on and then follow him. He drove out of the tree farm and to a gate that lead up a very long drive shadowed by thick trees. He was actually leading us into the private drive of the castle. The girls were going crazy. 
The gentleman explained that the house was occupied by his brother and sister-in-law...so we were actually talking to one of the Mr. Rose's. He took some pictures of us in front of the home and lined up the gardener to take us around the grounds. We found out that no actual Fillingham decedents actually lived in the house, nor did they probably every live in Fillingham as far as we could tell, but it was pretty cool what we got to experience and it brought my aunt to tears.
On our way back home we did stop in Lincoln so that we could take a look at the Lincoln Cathedral. We also had to make a stop in my favorite kitchen store and snack on some ice cream cones to get that boost of energy we needed to get home. The girls and I all got to experience some wonderful English hospitality in tiniest of villages in the heart of England today.
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