Great Dixter House

I was just noodling around on Google Maps looking at Northiam, England – home town of our illustrious ancestor Grandpa Watson, who emigrated in the 1850s to further his career as a Methodist minister. A trip to Southeast England does not appear to be in the cards for this year, but at least I can zip around on Google's satellite images and drive on any side of the road I want. Today's aerial explorations brought to light what was obviously a huge and lavish formal garden, and helpful Google supplied the fact that the perennial borders and clipped yews are attached to Great Dixter House, a medieval manor restored in 1910 or so. It must be Northiam's biggest attraction.

What were the Watson forebears doing in 1440 when the manor house was built? Mucking out stables for the draft horses? Washing the builders' sweaty work clothes? Selling meat pies outside the tavern? The Church of England was meticulous with its records, so it might be possible to find out.