MANOR LIFE UPDATE 2023 (What's new!) 

Click our link Here: www.Athleticgreens.com/mappertonlive to get a 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D3K2 & 5 travel packs FREE with your first purchase! You can’t put a price tag on your own health. #AthleticGreensPartner #ad

I love the idea of the book store/library/reading room. That building seems perfect. Might I suggest that you publish a Mapperton Bird Book. Bring in a bird photographer and have them take color pictures of the birds that reside and migrate through the area, with a description of each on the facing page. Nothing like "book in hand" when walking the grounds and the ability to identify the birds seen on your walk.

Julie and Luke, you both work so hard running the estate and coming up with new interesting things to do to bring in people to support Mapperton. It is your family home but you also keep English history alive doing all this. You two and your team are impressive. I love Mick’s and Holly’s enthusiasm.

For the Christmas market, I would suggest various crafty things for the kiddos (maybe with parent supervision) to do. Like, decorating gingerbread people with icing to eat or painting ornaments (wood cutouts) to make as souvenirs or as gifts. Each craft kit could be purchased for maybe 5 pounds or less. Also, maybe have a gift wrapping station where for a fee, purchases at the Christmas market could be wrapped up and ready to go for giving.

What a wonderfully enthusiastic manager! Holly is amazing too. So much positivity from everyone for the coming year. 👏👏👏

Your proposed play area sounds like a magic forest. I'm sure the children will love it!

I will confess, I traveled to Dorset this past summer as part of a larger UK trip from the US. I couldn’t convince my 8 and 6 year old to visit Mapperton for a day because there wasn’t a playground. I am so very very excited for the play area plans! Looks like a future visit is finally in store. Perhaps on the way to the play area Julie could add in a yoga pose trail for kids. Signs posted of beavers in different yoga poses would be fun!

When Luke and Mick were speaking about the children's garden and it not being visible right away, wouldn't it be fun to have little hints along the path lead to a dilapidated looking shed that when they enter it opens up to the children's adventure garden? Like going through the wardrobe to Narnia. Also, for the Christmas market, it would be fun to have a snow machine making snow so that children could make snow men, weather permitting of course.

A Lamp-post in the woods (at the kids play grounds) would be awesome.

Kids play area: Camp Mapperton, "Build your own adventure", AdventureMapp... also - please consider adding 'accessible' areas for kids who may have mobility issues: wheelchair accessible activities (low-level handcrafting, building, raised-bed build-a-gardens, etc.)

I would suggest that the play area in the forest should be named "Hedgehog Hollow" and that the entrance to it has the hedgehog statue.

For the older kids’ play area, how about something that plays on the word Wild: maybe the “Go Wild Wood”, with the Wild Wood Web (like World Wide Web) in it? Loving your channel btw

You need an arbor arch for your entrance with a solar lamp post if you want a "Narnia moment." You could give the kids a laminated page with things to find on their walk. For example, "Can you find the leaf of an oak?" Or "Mr. Tumnus enjoyed a nice cuppa. Do you see something to make herbal tea?" Or "Mr. Beaver built a nice, cozy home for his family in Narnia. Can you find his home here in Mapperton?" I think the kids and parents/grandparents would enjoy something like that. Also, why not do a May Day fair? Or a Spring Fling? Oh I wish we could afford travel right now.

If wanting to tie in the beavers 🦫 kits lodge for the young children area and yearlings Lodge for the older children. You could have them build pretend beaver lodges with wood collected around the property. You could also do some type of discovery sand pit. Many museums have them with large plastic bones 🦴 hidden inside and the children use little brooms, shovels and spades to uncover them then put together to the side as a puzzle. Wish you all well 🙏🏼

For the kids, perhaps a kid friendly class for building their own bird or bat houses from precut kits to emphasize the rewilding theme. they can also paint them, if they wish.

Love the idea of the bookstore. In Minneapolis there is a children’s bookstore called the Wild Rumpus with chickens roaming around and lots of little nooks for reading. Guest authors come and read their books…great experience. StPaul has the Red Balloon that also offers great space for authors, illustrators and lots of reading nooks. Families coming on vacation would love a space like this!

Love the idea of a children's playground in the woods!! It will need a zip line.

This is so exciting hearing all these plans for Mapperton. A Mapperton adventure trail for older children and a play area! A bigger Christmas Market! I think a Mapperton teddy bears picnic or tea party could be fun where children bring their bears along and maybe hear a story. Treasure hunts. The possibilities are endless.

This was such a fun episode, and the new ideas are so creative. Since you asked for ideas, here are a few I had fun thinking up: 1. Is it possible to give the bookshop a name based on the old room usage? Bath has The Pump Rooms, and when Luke said the generator was there, I thought that might be an idea for a name. 2. It would be fun to encourage a reading day where people could bring blankets to read outside. 3. When you mentioned putting up the history of the family and the house, it reminded me of a cool idea I saw in a show home. Across the border of the top of the walls (and up one staircase), they had made a cool timeline with dots at points and life events. It was for a baby’s room, and the history of both parents were there. It would be neat to have one timeline for the family and one for Mapperton, and then have them meet and intertwine where they both intersect. 4. The Christmas Fair is incredible, and having spots for the kids is inspired. Sometimes our shops create a little shop for kids to shop for gifts for their family. Everything is under $20.00 (and most is under $5.00), and they gift wrap it there, and kids write to and from on the cards. It might make a nice memory. 5. We have a beautiful green space in our small town for lawn bowling. It’s free, and then at night they have movie nights for families. 6. Sometimes at our parks we have little nature guides that kids can color and fill out based on the animals they spot, crosswords they finish about the nature in the park, or little items they find on plaques through the park that they can find - kind of like a scavenger hunt - with information about our local plants. They are cheap to print, and they come in a paper folder with the park logo, and when kids turn them into the ranger station on the way out, they get a ranger badge for completing it. Sometimes that can be fun but it is also something to carry. However, they are light and most families have a beach bag with them anyway. I’ll have a think about the name for the kid’s play area. It looks wonderful. What a good idea. All the best with your projects. They sound fun!

I’d find out what some old Saxon or pre Saxon names for the woods of the area were and name the playground after that.

Great ideas! You should expand on your Christmas market and have a spring one and then in the summer maybe an antique or flea market.

You might want a log burner in the 2nd hand book store/library and a tea station in there to encourage the visitors to come in and purchase a book or have them bring some used books to replenish the store. The chairs and sofas will make it welcoming to sit and read or just relax with a cup of Tea .

I would name the older children’s wooded natural play area: Woodlandia. For the small children’s area I would call that area: Littleville. Also for the little children I would have costumes (19th C. farm clothing) for them to try on like bonnets, vests, caps, maybe some capes. You could also promote teas for children where they are taught how to do a proper tea (no parents just kids and the tea hosts).

What an ambitious and amazing plan for 2023. Mick seems more than capable to make it all happen and Holly has already proved her mad skills. Good luck everyone. Can’t wait to watch it all come to life.

With so many craftspeople in Dorset, I'm sure that lots of people would love the opportunity of a craft day at Mapperton when they could be taught basic skills. Some of the things that could be offered are: Watercolour painting in the gardens; Basic wood carving, with a design based on an aspect of Mapperton's archtecture; Needle craft, creating a design based on, for example, part of one of the tapestries; Knitting, for example, a scarf influenced by the colours of the Mapperton estate; Basic wood working. Small groups, as with the yoga retreats, could be taught by a local expert and at the end of one, or possibly two days, people could take home a piece of their own craftwork, influenced by Mapperton, as well as the skills to continue with a new hobby. It might be possible to encourage return visits by offering more advanced classes in future.

Thank you for adding the historic house word of the week. I've been an Anglophile for 60 years, but have only been to England once, for a short time. It's great to learn new things!

This sounds like an amazing year ahead!! I wish all the best for all the planned (and yet to be planned) events!!

The Mystic Forest or Mystic Woods could be cool names. The reading room needs a faux fireplace.

Nick and Holly have wonderful ideas and 2023 sounds like it'll be amazing! I'm looking forward to seeing the events.

You might consider some kid friendly things at the Christmas market such as an arts and craft area where they can make an ornament to take home and a place to color Christmas pictures to take home. And maybe a petting area of small animals.

If you watch on RU-vid “Nancy Mitford: A Portrait by Her Sisters”, Nancy references Luke’s grandfather at about time stamp 29:30......”my brother’s friends visited like Randolph Churchill, Hinchingbrooke, ...”. Came across the video when watching stuff about Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth House. Fascinating watch about those famous Mitford sisters.

Love the woodland play area. Hope about naming it after o e of the kids? Nestor’s woodland adventure?

Idea: invite local school choirs/bands (as many as possible) to come sing a few songs at Christmas. It practically obligates the parents/grandparents to come and watch/listen - which puts them on the grounds and of course, they’ll want to see what the shop and market has to offer. Win/win

Luke and Julie, you have put together an amazing "Mapperton Team". Love the working relationship between Luke and Mick. Absolutely love the ariel footage of the estate. It gives us a wonderful perspective of the landscape. Keep us the great work!

I appreciate your efforts to make your home the best possible. Yay you.

I love all of your ideas! What about "Woodland Wonderland" for a name for the older kids' play area? Perhaps you can add a nature treasure hunt for educational purposes? I'm not picturing a "gathering" of items as this would leave the area depleted - but perhaps certain aspects of the foliage being labeled in a natural way and the child could mark the number of the item on their score card when they find it... Wishing you all of the very best!

I do like the name “Discovery Woods” having all sorts of interesting things to discover in nature. Plaques with inscriptions of different trees, leaves, bugs and birds with pictures of these nature items for kids to look for.

One idea for the children’s area is a large slate board for water painting. The Botanical gardens in Atlanta, Georgia has this and our granddaughter loves it.

Just watching this at the end of 2023 from Australia. You mentioned a workshop making reefs. I don't know if in England you decorate gingerbread houses but if you go on line & type in decorate your own gingerbread house, then you will see them. They are lots of fun & a good way to raise extra money at the same time as making it a community event. We usually run them around the end of November. They are then taken home in a box they bought with them or wrap them in cellophane & a bow to take home. An alternative idea could be having a place for kids to come & decorate their own gingerbread man at your fair where the parents pay a fee & the child is given the gingerbread man & they go over to a table & decorate him. You could then supply them with a bag or cellophane to wrap it up in to take with them.

Love the idea of the book store. I imagine reading "the secret garden" to children in the beautiful garden.

I grew up on a farm and one of our favorite things to do was build forts with hay bales. We also made igloos out of snow in the winter. Kids LOVE building club houses and forts. Maybe there is a way you can provide safe a fun materials for the kids to build a fortress or castle!

Thank you dearest Julie.❤❤❤❤ For being a lovely and a classy version and most importantly, a very authentically gracious American who married into the aristocracy. Watching you and your wonderful husband banter about together is so genuine and delightful. Wishing you the very best in 2023 from my little country home in lower Alabama.

Love your program, keep up the good work! Regarding the garden for youth; I don't have suggestions for names but do suggest you could incorporate elements of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Good for you all for figuring out how to maintain Mapperton. I do hope you sometimes get to be there with no visitors.

Thoroughly enjoyed the discussion on the improvements and affinity creation for the Estate. I spent a week at The Chester House Estate in Irchester/Rushden for an archaeological field school. I saw quite a few parallels between their efforts and your future endeavors. Thank you so very much for sharing that deep dive into the business/marketing aspects of the public's use and participation in Mapperton's daily life.

I like how excited and creative the planner of the playground is

Love the bookshop idea. As for outside for the children in the woods, maybe a separate designated bike/cycling path, one where they won't interfere with walkers or wreck any marathon pathways etc. Focusing on esthetics and photographability (probably not a word) is a bonus if things are well situated. Also, I like sign boards with interesting information on it, just 1 or 2 small facts, maybe about the tree or plant or birds or wildlife etc. Do you have a small petting zoo? Or maybe just a friendly chicken, or other animal children like, like a bunny? (Off topic point of interest. We have goats on roofs near where I live, seems to be a highlight, lol. That's off topic and a bit much.) Wish you all the best in 2023. If I'm ever in England I'd love to view the estate.

That shade of paint on door of the proposed library / reading room nicely brings out the slight golden tones of the limestone doorway in the dappled sunlight. That is a perfect reading room with the small-paned windows allowing just enough soft light to come in. Then again it may take the whole staff to pry reluctant guests out of their future tufted leather seats after hours of reading engrossing books when closing up....

I think the bigger kids play area should be called Treedom

So excited to watch all what you’re planning, it’s going to be fabulous, best of luck. Some day will be there. Fantastic energy from all of you that’s what’s going to make it happen. 👏🏻👏🏻

Create a Scavenger Hunt throughout the estate … historical, plants, etc

Brilliant! Add a fairytale children's garden. I have seen some with spots, that have the garden Knomes, peeking out from spots and the kids have a map and find the garden knome spots. Definately provides the children an outdoor adventure.

by the sand pit must have a character called The Sand Witch (link to Sandwich) lol

Hello Luke and Julie, I just wanted to say, how much I enjoyed listening to some of the plans you have for Mapperton. You have some great people working with you who obviously take pride in their jobs. I love the idea of the woodland adventure area for the older children and the use of natural materials. These are the sort of things where families can make memories. Bravo! To both of you and your members of staff. Good luck. x

nestor would be the perfect guy to talk to the kids about wildlife, photography and his other interests - love that kid - maybe just a once a month visit etc.i know the kids would love it!

Exciting ideas!!! Get Nestor involved in the planning of the "The Wild Lands of Sandwich!!" He's closer to the age you're targeting - also I think he will be the heir to the wilding of the estate in the future, demonstrated by his ongoing interest in the project even now. BTW. where did the tea mugs come from that Luke and the new manager were using???

Thank you for sharing both the plans and events at Mapperton this year! I like the idea of the reading room and including more things for children to do.

Loving the videos, so much to learn. I thought looking at my family's roots just finding a couple of hundred years search has been hard enough to gather all information. To have several hundred years of family history is awesome! Better to have the records there to go through. Loving the history of this family and history of England. Blessed continued searching for information and artifacts. Thanks for sharing

Ooh, I have suggestions! Call the older kids' play area an Adventure Path. Every place we've been with an Adventure Path, my kids are right there. Anything that involves movement and physical play is great (there's a fun obstacle course type path at Aquarium du Québec). And for the Narnia entrance, you could build an archway out of living willow. I've seen botanical gardens with arches, little huts, even castles out of willow and they're just magical. Good luck with all the improvements in store!

Love the idea of entertaining families with children. Those are the places we like best. An age appropriate rope's course, a tree house, a bush maze, etc. I like the name "Nature Adventure Course." We also like places where we can interact with animals. Feed a goat (or turtle), etc. I would definitely pay to have a silent walk to the beaver area.

Your Channel is the best!. I live in Ohio. So It’s exciting watching you live such a different life!!!

Of course kids would love this! My 6 year old Granddaughter is intrigued by the ancestors!

Wildwood Thicket- a play on childhood - and a nod to the setting, design of the park, etc. Also, a recognition of rewilding

Thank you for showing so much of the organizational background of the goings on. Love this.

Great episode! You new manager Ben is amazing! He has such good ideas...especially about having families visit with things for children to do and the idea of having a second hand book shop. Brilliant! You are fortunate to have gotten him!

Love the play area idea! How about Mapperton Adventures or Sandwich Meadows?

I’ve been racking my brain for a suitable name for the play area - all I can think of is “Hare’s Hollow”; something simple that is easily understood by children (and easy to pronounce) that implies a connection to nature and also to the old stories where hares, bunnies and rabbits are central characters in whimsical and enchanting stories in classic children’s literature 🐰

Wha a wonderful update for 20023! Idea for the woodland play area, “MAGICAL MAPPERTON ADVENTURE. “. Love your channel. 👍🏻💕🇺🇸

I love the ideas for children's play areas. Incorporating play is a wonderful way to encourage an appreciation for nature and a desire to learn more about it. The intentional incorporation of different sensory experiences is a wonderful idea. Adding windchimes or "telephone" pipes children can talk through would be a great way to incorporate sound. As an accessibility advocate, I implore you to make the path to and through the play areas wheelchair and stroller (pram) accessible if at all possible. While the allure of a less-beaten path is exciting, it limits access for children who are less mobile. As for the play structures, I realize they cannot all be accessible, there are more supportive swings and other play structures that allow children of different abilities and strengths to play. If you'd like more info about playground accessibility, I'd be happy to get you some resources :)

This is a suggestion for a car park: I have seen parking lots (as we say in the U.S.) that were not covered with gravel, concrete or asphalt but rather, concrete blocks with holes, or I think their proper name is ventilation blocks. The holes were filled with soil. Cars could drive on them when it was muddy, they absorbed rain water and grass could grow in and around them. It was much more aesthetically pleasing compared to regular parking lots. I think it is probably more friendly to the environment. I also am guessing it would not need regular maintenance like gravel or pavement. It would need to be mowed but it could also be grazed. Just a thought.

I can’t wait to see the coming videos. I ❤the idea of a reading room and the kids playground. So cool! Let it be a great 2023.

What you’re creating is the forest is a nature playground. It’s a huge movement in Australia and there are some excellent examples if you Google - Climbing Tree is one company run by a teacher who specialist in this type of playground. As well as the climbing infrastructure you were talking about, give them lots of natural elements and let them create what they want. Think tyres, ropes, branches, lengths of hessian material etc. I would call it ‘Fort Mapperton’, and encourage them to use the provided materials to make their our Mapperton Fort.

Can you add exercise stations along the path, ie, use a tree branches, add a sign “10 pull-ups”, 100 metres along, use branches again and make several “climb-overs” and step-up/step-downs with a sign explaining and how many to do. Brochure or app showing where the exercise stations are located.

I don't know about in England but here in South Carolina when there is a Christmas market or garden event during the Christmas season, music is often supplied by youth groups from local churches - some of our churches have large youth choirs and also hand-bell choirs, they love to perform at Christmas events outside of church. My local church has a very talented high-school hand-bell choir and when they perform, at any event, it not only brings in the choir members but their families and friends. Just a suggestion for the Christmas market. Free Christmas musical entertainment that will also encourage many others to attend the market.

This is so exciting for all of you. Perhaps someday I will come to England and visit Mapperton. I am looking forward to all the festivities you have offered. Defiantly will be signing in to watch.

So what I LOVE is the idea of the library- for thy r love of god PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add a fireplace & let them have enclosed tea in there because I would schedule a trip around that. ALSO the idea of your wonderful home being the center of county/community as it once was - in centuries past - is JUST AMAZING!! And so exciting! A return to a time when the manor home and it’s occupants were both responsible for and the center of the community and not REMOVED by wealth, disinterested, and the distance provided by the size of the property. Instead you see the care provided by Julie & her husbands family (yes I fully credit Julie 😂) for the surrounding community and I turn the care for the family and home provided by the community. My husband’s family has an ancestor who was protected during the French Revolution because of his caring and intimate relationships with his community he was not only spared, but he was able to save several of the surrounding aristocracy by sheltering them in his home. (Side not my husband look’s IDENTICAL to an etching of this ancestor). Again - just so proud of an American coming back and saying yes - we are back - but in a much different way than you would think 😊❤

Great ideas for the coming year! For the Reading Room, have sufficient comfortable furniture (stain resistant) with little side tables where one might put the cup of tea/hot chocolate/coffee with a bit of cake/cookie/scone. A little 'coffee bar' where a hot beverage could be obtained, along with a bit of something to nibble on... could include crackers and cheese... All while relaxing with a used book! If that building is really cold, a warm (and washable) throw or blanket to keep out the chill. The last thing I want to do is put a damper on all these plans, but think about swings and tree climbing. Nothing says accident like swings, slides and tree climbing! Check out liability insurance before spending too much planning first! That can get seriously expensive!

Play areas are a must for children, national trust have some of the best woodland play areas we have experienced. Enjoyed meeting some of your valued staff.

Makes me think of the wonderful trail through woodland at Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor (County Down, N. Ireland). As a grown-up even it was enchanting.

I just started taking powdered greens like these this morning😳 Mine also include various mushrooms! I'm gonna look into those? Thanx for sharing them with us!❤️❤️❤️

Love all the new ideas for 2023. You’ve got a great creative team 🤩🤩🤩

I love the idea of making a play area for kids!!! What a great idea. My kids would love to play in the woods.🥰

"Mapperton in wonderland!" A fun and mysterious place where you never know what you'll find or come across!!!!

You should think about adding a Christmas carol singing competition to the Christmas market event. Maybe local choirs and singing groups of all sorts

Looks like there are many exciting things to look forward to at Mapperton!

I think you should call the older kids play area Fort Mapperton and it definitely needs a zip line

The book idea is a good one, maybe you could have a section, to "swap books, mini library" while swapping many would be tempted to buy other's as well. I have read all my books, but if i take them to a charity shop, they are not that interested. The play park is a great idea. Good way to use up fallen tree trunks, carved into animals, seat etc.. Giant Throne made from logs.

Wish I lived nearby, or let's say nearer, to take part in all the events planned in 2023. Will be following everything through the Mapperton website and your weekly video. Good Luck and all the very best and beautiful weather.

So excited for your expansion! Wonderful ideas! All the best for 2023.

Your manager seems like a brilliant hire! Lots of great ideas for expanding the appeal of Mapperton. And may I suggest the kids area be Mapper Den?

Mapperton's Magical Forest !

So many wonderful events! Very exciting!

For the children; during the Christmas Market you could also bring in a crafter to the third marquee to teach them how to make a fun , simple, but impressive object like a tree ornament.

Gardening Q&A with the Mappertone Gardener.

I love all the fun activities & plans you have for Mapperton ❤ The kids area sounds fun & I’m sure will be a big hit for families coming to visit. Also the 2023 holiday Christmas market sounds fun too. Love seeing the cafe highlighted again. This Mapperton Live vlog was excellent! 😁📺❤️👍

I remember LOVING going to "Breakfast with Santa" as a child. That could be an option for the kiddies!

Not sure how price coming to Mapperton but if you want people to come multiple times maybe a discounted season pass family or single. The plans all sound great an excellent team to implement.

Your new manager is amazing! You can tell he is really excited about all that’s to come at Mapperton. I can’t wait to see all the projects as they unfold!

How about a sign statring, "This way to the 100 Acre Wood." Create some play areas which have references to some of the characters.

A wonderful couple with excellent ideas!