I’ve always thought of Basildon as being a town in Essex, sometimes the butt of jokes and mainly being featured on election nights when it was regarded as the heart of a key indicator constituency before being merged with Billericay in 2010. It turns out though that the National Trust property of Basildon Park is a long way from this, situated in West Berkshire and within easy reach for a jaunt yesterday afternoon.
The three particular things that stood out about the house to me were the room of shells, the 1950s kitchen and a couple of rooms with landscapes painted across the walls and ceilings. We didn’t explore the grounds very thoroughly but they were a good place to sit and relax, enjoying the warmth of another day in this glorious summer.
Oh, and it turns out that this is the place commemorated in the naming of Basildon Bond paper. Writing paper isn’t so much in demand nowadays but it was a hallmark of quality and I always wondered how it could be linked to the town in Essex. Another mystery solved and a restful day accomplished to boot.