Canons Ashby Daventry
This is a lovely stately home set in Dav when we went for a visit we found the house to have a rich historic feeling entwined with a welcoming home environment. Built over an original medieval priory the custodians ‘the Drydens’ were passionate about history. As we wandered through the Canons Ashby house we entered a room called the book room, originally a billiards room but with no one to play with Sir Henry converted it into his very own room of study and like today his own man cave !!.
His passion also encompassed gardening and if you where to visit he would happily put on his gardening boots that where in his book room, pluck out some gardening trowels and get you to join him in the garden. When Sir Henry was a boy his father fanned the flames of archaeology whilst helping him to excavate the priory buildings next to the church. He later went on the pursue this all over the British isles. Sir Henry was very much a gentlemen, and only wanted to marry, once he had the right funds and family setting. He married quite late to ( Frances Tredcroft, lady Dryden) and they had a child by the name of Alice, who was equally curious about life as her parents . There are many lovely painting on display on the walls and a lovely painting on the wall in the second bedroom, painted directly on the lime wall. Canons ashby is well worth a visit and if you have time also visit St Marys Church next door which is a quaint little church.