How the Duke Ruined Christmas



Amberley Castle

(Inspiration for Greystone Castle—not related to Amberley House)
Portcullis Gate at entrance to Amberley Castle.

Greystone was inspired by Amberley Castle, also in West Sussex. Charles II visited the castle in 1651 and 1685. The then tenant, Sir John Brisco, commemorated the second visit by commissioning a mural of Charles and Queen Catharine, which can still be seen in the Queen's Room, now a gourmet restaurant. The castle has passed through many hands and is now run as a Country House Hotel. The walls exude the spirit of dreams and legends, and a stay there is the stuff memories are made of, well worth the splurge.

Lower Court, within the castle walls.

More pictures of Amberley Castle

Bignor Roman Villa

Hypocaust of the Bignor Roman Villa.

In 1811, farmer George Tupper was ploughing his land in West Sussex when he struck a large stone. This turned out to be the piscina (or fountain) of a chamber which came to be known as the Summer Dining Room. Tupper had stumbled on the remains of a sprawling Romano-British villa dating from the third and fourth centuries AD. The lavish residence boasted surprisingly modern conveniences like indoor plumbing and an underfloor heating system, as well as several of the finest and best-preserved Roman mosaics found to date.

Once unearthed, the Bignor Roman Villa became a popular tourist destination and remains so to this day. The site is still owned by the Tupper family and welcomes visitors Wednesday through Sunday from April to October.

Medusa mosaic at the Bignor Roman Villa.

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