Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:

Q1. Clandon Park

Q2. Dame Margaret Helen Greville

N.B. Dame Margaret Helen Greville was also known as 'Maggie Greville', 'Mrs Ronald Greville' and had surname 'Anderson', before she was married.

The Eastender has been a bit late writing his blog this week due to A) sampling some (way too many ;-)) exotic tinctures from the Caledonian archipelagos on the top shelf of the bar, at the venue where the office Christmas party was being held this year and B) having to abandon the cab on the way back to town, when we encountered a flood blocking the road. Still, splooshing through a veritable maelstrom on foot, seems all the easier, after you've glugged a few tumblers of the cratur.

I digress, the initial clues appear to place us a Clandon Park, in the county of Surrey. The National Trust website describes it as a Palladian Mansion, built by a Venetian architect c 1720, for Lord Onslow. The house did appear to have three levels, from the photographs I checked but it was unfortunately, gutted by fire around the 29th April 2015. They seem to be using the idea of a Phoenix rising from the ashes, to try to raise money to refurbish it.

The Georgian mansion, which lies to the east of Clandon Park, is probably Hatchlands Park. This does appear to be made of red brick and some of the references I checked, claim it was constructed during the 1750s for naval hero Admiral Edward Boscawen (born c 1711) and his wife. Some of his biographies claim that he did command 'Invincible' (74 guns) and 'The Royal George' (100 guns).

The Regency villa, described in the puzzle text, is probably a house called Polesden Lacey. This was designed by Thomas Cubitt (born c 1788). Some of Mr Cubitt's biographies say that he did indeed leave one of the longest wills on record at that time. Polesden Lacey was owned by a society hostess called 'Dame Margaret Helen Greville (nee Anderson)' . The aforementioned dame, loved royalty and used to vie for their attention with a team called 'The Savilles', which appears to be where the gag about 'Civils and Grovels', originates. Dame Margaret also seems to have been popular with the royals and one Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (aka 'The Queen Mother', b c 1900), honeymooned at Polesden Lacey c 1923. The Queen Mother was the ninth child and forth daughter of Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis and fourteenth Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. His motto, 'In te domine speravi' means 'In thee Lord, I put my trust' (or possibly 'my trust fund').

Dame Margaret was not popular with everyone and one Lady Leslie remarked "Maggie Greville? I'd sooner have an open sewer in my drawing room".

N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.