It is interesting to contemplate a tangled bank...

Saturday we made the trip to Downe. We took the Northern line to Euston and changed for the Victoria line to Victoria Station. Next, we switched to the train to go from Victoria to Bromley South. At Bromley South we walked outside and took the 146 bus to Downe. On the bus ride we transitioned from suburbs to open country. The green fields are still surrounded by mostly bare trees but there is evidence of spring on its way.

Once in Downe, it was a 10 minute walk just out of the village to Downe House, the home of Charles Darwin.

The upstairs is a series of displays describing Darwin's work and his approach to evolution and the impact of it. The downstairs has been restored to look much as it would have been when the Darwin's lived there. After Emma Darwin died, the hour was sold to a girls boarding school and the imprint of the Darwin family was lost. In 1996 it was purchased by the National Trust and restoration work was done on the house and period furnishing were obtained. There are also items from Charles to bring the rooms to life.

There was a piano for Emma to play and the study used by Charles was full of things used in the pursuit of understanding. The billiard room doubled as a recreation area for Charles and  place to eland his often large collection into for sorting and study.

The grounds outside were large and well maintained. a beautiful place to contemplate the connectedness of all life.

On the way back we stopped in the pub in town for a late lunch of chicken and tarragon pie.