To be frank, the last thing I wanted to do was traipse around hangars feigning interest in old planes! Instead, I decided to check out the huge house I'd seen on our way to Wroxeter - it turns out that Wroxeter is actually on its estate.
The Georgian house is pretty incredible and has been in the care of the National Trust since 1947 when the then Lord Berwick opted not to leave it to his heir (a nephew who was already bankrupt!).
The first Lord Berwick commissioned the mansion to be built around an older house (Tern Hall) in the 1780's. A succession of heirs variously added to it, sold treasures, left it to decay etc. until the last Lord Berwick took possession in 1920. He and his wife went to a lot of expense and trouble doing it up and then handed it on to the NT.
I was very interested in the 'below stairs' aspects - the grand rooms are all very well but I wanted to see what went on behind the scenes - for example, behind the fancy rooms is a labyrinth of corridors so the servants could do their work without disturbing the family.
The basement servants hall, kitchens, butlers pantry and vaults were straight out of Downton Abbey.
I could have spent twice as long there but had to leave because I knew we had quite a drive ahead of us.