One of the places I really looked forward to visiting during our recent trip to England was Great Chalfield Manor, the estate that inspired the manor in my new book The Secret of Pembrooke Park (December 2014).
We arrived more than an hour before the last tour at 4:00, but were told by a man and woman working the table at the gated entrance that the tours were all sold out for the day. The man resolutely explained that some of the rooms were quite small and they had to limit numbers for safety reasons. (It was a speech I heard him deliver to a few others who arrived after us.) Such a disappointment! I tried to remain stoic, and asked if they could direct me to the owner, as we had exchanged several emails and I would at least like to meet her while we were there. The woman at the table said officiously, “Follow me.” I assumed she was going to find the owner as I’d requested. We reached one of the outbuildings where the woman told us to “wait there.” A few minutes later, she came back out, and with a wary look around, quickly pressed something into my hand—two tickets for the 4:00 tour. “I’ve been very naughty,” she said with a secret smile. “Don’t tell anyone.” (Whoops….I guess I just did!) How my heart soared. We truly did not badger her or bribe her to give us tickets. We felt it was a blessing from God, to place this kindhearted woman in our path. I thanked her and hugged her, telling her why touring the house was so important to me, and asking if I might give her a book in return. She said, “By all means. Go and get it!” (She was quite adamant, as a matter of fact.) I happily did so.
So, not only did we get to tour the grounds and lovely gardens, but we were also able to join the tour of the house—quite a crowded tour, I might add. Either the man had not been exaggerating, or we were not the first for whom the dear woman had procured extra tickets!
A husband and wife team of local volunteer tour guides took us around the house, entertaining us with history and anecdotes and pointing out fascinating architectural details that will no doubt make their way into future novels.
I readily admit that the interior of the manor is quite a bit different than I’d imagined or been able to view online. And, for the sake of the story, the interior will remain different. Yes, I like to use real places as inspiration or “models” for my books, so the settings are anchored in reality and hopefully become real to me and to readers as well. But I am not writing about Great Chalfield or the families who actually lived there over the generations. They have their own very real history of which they are justifiably proud, and I have no wish to mess with it. Even so, I loved seeing the place in person.
After the tour, we attended Evensong in the estate church—a small church within the moated grounds of the manor—the parish church of All Saints. I had hoped and planned to do this for weeks leading up to our trip, because the church (and my fictional clergyman) play an important role in The Secret of Pembooke Park. I had emailed the Rector, Andrew Evans, to ask if visitors were welcome and if there was anything we would need to know ahead of time (not being familiar with Evensong—a service of hymns, prayers and a brief sermon). Mr. Evans kindly wrote back and said we would be very welcome. What a pleasure to meet him in person, as well as his small, friendly congregation. I don’t remember when I have enjoyed a church service more. His sermon was everything a sermon should be, in my layman’s view: humble, humorous, insightful, convicting, and affirming.
On that day, and throughout our trip, God felt very close, in large part due to the kindness of strangers.
When was the last time a kind stranger did you a favor? Or, have you had the opportunity to bless someone else by an unexpected act of kindness?
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What a wonderful post, Julie! Of course, reading this only makes me more eager to read your upcoming book.
I do think the kindness of that woman was God-ordained, and I’m so glad you were able to make the tour after all.
The Evensong service sounds delightful—makes me wish we had something like that in my area. 🙂
A few weeks ago I was in my local Target store, and the cashier told me if I’d enter a code in my phone I could save a good bit of money on my purchases that day. Well, my phone is not a smartphone—all I can do is make calls and send texts. But a kind stranger behind me pulled out her smartphone and entered the code, which the cashier was able to use on MY purchases (thus saving me $$). I was SO appreciative to that woman (plus she hadn’t appeared impatient as I was being helped, and I had a large amount of purchases that day, LOL). ~ I do try to look for ways to help others, but being the recipient that day reminded me that little deeds of kindness DO make a big difference! 🙂
Great example of a kind (and patient) stranger, Patti Jo. Thanks for sharing it!
Oops! Blogger’s hungry! Just lost my comment 🙁
Julie so glad to hear you enjoyed your time at Chalford Manor and how lovely you received complementary tickets for your tour. I’m sure you must have been on cloud 9.:) Pleased to hear you enjoyed “Evensong”. . It is a very easy service to follow and so glad to know the Rector was welcoming to you ( this coming from a Rector’s daughter.LOL)
It really is “”countdown” for us now. We leave next Tuesday and I am so looking forward to visiting historical places and the Village Parish Churches.,,they always seem to project an air of warmth:)
Enjoyed reading your Post Julie.:)
Hi Rosie the Rector’s daughter (I’m going to keep that in mind)! Yes, the Rector did a great job helping us follow along. We enjoyed it. Hope you have a fabulous trip and visit a parish church or two yourself while you’re there!
Hi Julie, I loved hearing how the Lord went before you and opened up those opportunities! The estate sounds lovely, and attending the service must have been wonderful. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Thanks, Carrie. I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the photos from your recent trip across the pond as well!
Lovely. So glad to read and that God and strangers looked after you!
Thanks, Delores!
I don’t know what I’m more thrilled about — the fact that you have a book coming out in a few months or your blog topic. I think i’ll rejoice in both. 🙂
My most recent kindness story happened this morning on the way to work. I have nerve damage in my feet and legs and use a walker — one of those ones on wheels. When I reached my first transit way stop I discovered that the elevator was out of order and I needed to get to the lower platform fast to make my connecting bus. That meant carting my walker down three flights of very steep cement steps while a rush of commuters were swarming up from below. Honestly, there had to have been twenty hale and hearty people in their twenties or thirties bounding up those stairs, giving me dirty looks because my walker and I were taking up too much space. And in their wake a spry elderly lady makes her way up the stairs. She’s not moving as fast the rest of the hoard, but she stops, wrestles the walker out of my hands and carries it down the stairs for me. Then comes back up and escorts me down the stairs as well! How sweet is that? Talk about kindness. And I even made my connecting bus so I wasn’t late for work. 🙂
What a heartwarming story, Kav. Thanks for sharing. I’m so thankful a kind stranger helped you that day. God bless you both!
How lovely that God worked things out for you via strangers who were angels to you! What a blessing. Once thing that stands out to me as far as a stranger helping me was when I was lost downtown in a big southern city late at night and apparently I was in a very bad part of town. I rolled down my window to ask a man, walking by himself, to to get back on the interstate and he looked all around and he told me to make sure my doors were locked and to not stop again down there and he directed me to where I could get on the interstate. That was scary and I was blessed by his help.
Wow, that was a scary experience, Carrie. So glad a kind stranger was there to direct you!
Loved hearing about your experiences, Julie. I was a tour guide for ten years at the Charles A. Lindbergh Home here in Little Falls and I had the pleasure of meeting many people who had special ties to the home, or the Lindbergh family. On more than one occasion, I gave special tours, outside regular tour times, to accommodate late arrivals, or packed tours. It’s so much fun making someone’s day like that. I’ve also been on the receiving end of many strangers going out of their way to be helpful to me.
That’s wonderful, Gabrielle. I’m sure you “saved” many a day by going above and beyond like that. What a great experience that must have been for you and for those on your tours.
Oh Julie, I can’t resist saying this.:). My new book arrived yesterday, called none other than….”The Vicar’s Wife.”(by Katherine Swartz. I ‘m going to give it to my Mum. Wonder what she’ll think? It should make her day.LOL
Love it, Rosie! I’ll have to check it out.
My apologies to “Katharine”. for the misspelling of her name.:).
Love this post (as I do everything you write!) I was just telling someone again today about how God moved in SO many ways on this trip. That day was a wonderful experience from start to finish, and you could just see God’s fingerprints all over it. Linda was a life saver!
Thanks, Sara. Just read your recent blog, too. Think I might need to “steal” it to post here in a few weeks… 🙂 Thanks again for all you did on the trip and for your eyes to see God’s hand in so many of our shared moments.
Hi Julie. I am praying for the kindness of strangers on our upcoming trip. I love when God steps in…Angels really. This was a great post. Not long ago we went to Boston. Before going, I had a patient tell me all the places I needed to visit while there. One tip was Mikes Pastry. It was pretty incredible. Anyway…to thank her we sent her and her family some cannoli from there. She still talks about how nice that was. ( I just saw her so it is fresh in my mind.) I love putting a smile on someone’s face. What a pleasure to see you recently. I love hearing stories of England. Your pictures are great. Blessings…Warmly, Gail
Putting smiles on people’s faces is one of your many gifts, Gail! I pray you experience the kindness of strangers and sense God’s nearness when you travel, just as we did. Have a great time and bring me back a cannoli. 😉
Hi Julie! Loved reading your post, and have put Chalfield on my list of places to visit, since I don’t have so far to travel to do so as you did! A nice trip out for the camper van. 🙂
Yes, a quick trip for you, Anne. If you go, let me know so I can take a look at your no-doubt-amazing pictures!
I loved this article! It was so interesting to read about your visit! So glad u got to see inside while you were there.
Thanks, Brenda. And thanks for stopping by!
Such a pleasure to share your journey in this way, Julie, and to be blessed through your blessing! A few years ago I attended Evensong in Lincoln Cathedral, and later in Westminster Abbey–such wonderful experiences and ones I think of often. The sermon in Westminster seemed written for me at the time–an anniversary of the work of William Wilberforce in ending slavery. I love it when God goes ahead of us and ordains special moments–just as He did for you! Evensong is a wonderful custom–to end each day in worship with others . . . we need it regularly.
So sorry Carrie Turansky and I missed seeing you on this trip! We met with Melanie Dobson at Tyntesfield, where Carrie is setting her current series. What happy thoughts to imagine the books that will come from all these wonderful jaunts across the pond!
God bless!
Hi Cathy, Sounds like you and Carrie (and Melanie) had a great trip. Loved looking at your pictures. And yes, it was humbling and sweet to notice all the moments God ordained during the trip. So much to be thankful for!