Laycock Abbey, one of the single most important places in the recording of history; it was where the negative/positive photographic process was invented, and then look what happened!

The day started out with clear bight skies, but by the time I arrived a couple of hours or so later, I was greeted by dull flat “white sky”. Nothing much I could do about it except try to make the best of the conditions.

Regrettably from there everything went down hill rapidly. The National Trust, who own the house, village and surrounding area with their overbearing arrogance closed the interior of the house which includes the room where that very first photographic negative was taken and all because they didn't have enough volunteer staff! STAGGERING STUPIDITY AND ARROGANCE for a place of such historical importance. There were a lot of disappointed visitors and some very heated arguments. We were left with exterior views, the cloisters, some empty monastic cells and a lot of closed doors.

So on to the museum, presumably of photography and all about William Henry Fox Talbot, and the history of photography after that. Well just a bit about Talbot, but more about exhibitions of photographs, and not very good ones, by current photographers on some strange themes. Yes there were displays of cameras and other equipment going back over the years, but not an extensive collection, though it did include one of the gold plated Nikons. As soon as I walked in with my Nikon slung on my shoulder, not in a shooting position, I was bounced on by an over zealous volunteer who wanted me to put my camera away in my bag telling me that taking photographs inside the museum was not permitted. I politely declined saying I could read the sign about not being permitted to take photographs and would comply, but she wouldn't let me pass until someone just three feet away took a photograph with their mobile phone camera. The volunteer said nothing to that person and I just moved passed her. Perhaps she would have been better off being a volunteer inside the house.

From there on to the village which dates back to the 13th century and has many fine examples of buildings through the centuries, and what greeted me, a high street littered with commercial vehicles, and a few residents vehicles, and I do mean littered. There was absolutely no way a decent representative shot of the centre of the village could be taken. IT WAS A COMPLETE AND UTTER MESS.

The National Trust do a good job in general and have preserved some very important historical sites in the UK and get it right most of the time, but so far as Laycock Abbey, Village and museum go, they have got it spectacularly wrong – a major fail.

A more disappointing and frustrating day would be hard to imagine so will I go back? As a photographer I would like to have seen that historical room, but as for going back just for that, probably not.