The Children's room Copy-write P. Audcent 2014
My family and I visited a large mansion called Sharpitor House, since renamed Overbecks, and now owned by the National Trust UK in Devon. Under its staircase is a wonderful small room entirely for children, and it was this special place that made me write this story. So now to begin this story,
Father and Mother had arrived at this large house quite by accident. The house lay half way up a hill and they were keen to see the tropical garden so they parked the car and we were ushered into the house where a grand silver haired lady took our money for the entry into the garden. She told our parents that if we children got bored studying the plants we could come inside and visit the special children's room below the stairs. In fact as soon as she mentioned below the stairs we looked across the hall to see a tiny door painted white with the notice hung from a hook 'Children only'.
“Later.” said Mother, so we all trooped outside to walk under the tall plants and trees until we walked slower and slower until Mother relented and said “Well off you all go and please remember its that lovely ladies own house so behave and be as quite as possible” So without another thought we all rushed back to the front door and quietly strolled inside. The elderly lady smiled and beckoned for us to go across the hall to the small doorway.
Larry opened it gently and we all four of us pushed our way into the room and indeed it was quite low but very long and broad. There were tables and chairs for dining and a huge long lounge all half size. There were lovely paintings in small gilded frames on the walls and really everything was half normal size. The room was well lit with proper electric lighting and there was even hot chocolate in four steaming cups on the polished table. By each cup was a small plate and a knife besides, and in the middle was an enormous plate of sandwiches all fresh and neatly cut. Well Larry bid we all sit down but Maise said she wanted to go to toilet so we all looked around and in the corner was another little door which said 'Toilet' so Maise went over and disappeared through it. Whilst she was gone Larry put two sandwiches on her plate, then we all tucked into ones we selected as in fact they were many types, some sardine some ham and cheese. Maise came back and in between snatches of eating explained that there was another door in the small toilet without a name just a big '?' in the middle.
Well we were soon finished with our drink and sandwiches so we all dived over and scrambled into the toilet to see the mystery door. Larry managed to open it up half way so Maise and the rest could squeeze through. We came upon a sort of staircase made out of stone that led downwards though a rock tunnel so we held hands and with Larry in the lead we climbed down a fair way. It had got quite dark and then it began to get much brighter and before we knew it we had come through a hole in the cliff bottom onto a little sandy cove next to the river. Well such excitement we had there and then we found a small path wending upwards back to the garden.
Finally we all clambered into the garden and down to the car park where Father was anxiously looking for us. “Well come along.” he said but Larry went over to the front door to bid the elderly lady 'a thank you'. She smiled as all our faces peered through the front door “My father built that for we children and we always had fine time especially getting out of the way of adults!” ---------------------