Arundel

While we were quite ready for Surrey, West Sussex, which is south of Surrey, has been a complete surprise. Beautiful rolling green hills and pasturelands. Farmland, quaint little villages with the obligatory pub in each. I can understand why the pubs now. In times, past, the distances between these villages was significant, so a public house is a place for refreshment, a drink, a bite to eat and to rest up for a bit. Makes perfect sense. Different to the pubs in suburbia in Australia.

Before I get to the Duke of Norfolk; did I mention the Duke of Norfolk? Oh, he lives in Castle Arundel. No, before I get to him and there, I want to say a world about the roads here. Aggghhhh! There I've said it. Oh, okay. They're winding, extremely narrow, slippery when wet, and you have to stop sometimes to let oncoming traffic through before you proceed. If you happen to reach each other in one of those narrow passes from a blind spot, then you have to stop, and one either has to reverse, not always possible, or you inch past each other as though your life depends on it. At least, the excess on a rental car depends on it.

Surrey and West Sussex have been a dream. Random Hall where we are staying has been a delight and a balm after London. The little connective tissue roads between villages, not so much.

So, now to the Duke of Norfolk. We didn't see him. Apart from the odd portrait in his castle, I probably would not recognise him if I bumped him in the Arundel corner store.

The castle is immense. And by immense, I mean absolutely huge. Once in its depths and heights, Chris and I had no idea exactly where we were. It is very old, you can read the Wiki entry if you're interested, and it has been added onto over the years. It is the seat of the Duke of Norfolk, who by right of his title, is also called the Earl Chamberlain, whose duties are to organise coronations and I think maybe, royal funerals.

The Norfolks all spring from the Howards, as in Catherine Howard, one of Henry VIII's wives. One of the Dukes, the fourth I think, was beheaded by Henry, who only outlived him by two weeks.

The vast halls, dining rooms, feasting chambers, the library, the bedrooms, sitting rooms, are in truth, completely over the top, and if they were not in an ancient castle would be considered gaudy and bad taste. But in such a place, they work really well and look fabulous. Weirdly, the Norfolks are a Catholic family and managed to survive Henry and Elizabeth. There are pictures of cardinals and various Popes meeting with the Duke and Duchess over the years. The present Duke is the 18th and he and his family live in private apartments that we did not go near.

The art collection placed upon the walls is magnificent. As a private collection, it has masterpieces on every wall and they are well-looked after by the guides who also double as security.

Going up into the keep was a challenge for me. My legs got a little wobbly on one of the spiral stone staircases, but I managed to keep moving and get up there to see the views, and to cast aspersions on any French tourists below (Monty Python joke there). The gardens were gorgeous, vast and rambling and we had a relaxing time walking around in them even though it rained lightly while we did so.

The British aristocracy is something else. It is ancient I know, but it is of another time and an anachronism in many ways in the modern world. I am so glad that Australia doesn't have class system built on an aristocratic elite and has always aspired to equality. Still, with its magnificence and splendour, Arundel Castle was fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to lilve there.Les mer