Georgian costumes at Berrington Hall

Berrington Hall, Herefordshire (c) Joanna Maitland

Berrington Hall in Herefordshire is a gem of a house designed by Henry Holland with gardens by Capability Brown. It is really worth a visit, perhaps for those on the way to the RNA Conference in Telford in the second week of July.

Berrington Hall, grounds with lake (c) Joanna Maitland

This year, Berrington Hall is really pushing the boat out for visitors who are interested in the Georgian Period.

Berrington has a fantastic costume collection of its own but this summer, there are additions. From now until the end of June, there's an exhibition of costumes from the film The Duchess.



Embroidered waistcoat (c) Joanna Maitland

Also from now till the end of June, you can see how Georgian gentlemen dressed and behaved. There's an exhibition of gentlemen's waistcoats and accessories and I can guarantee that embroidery lovers will be amazed at the stunning workmanship (workwomanship?) on the waistcoats. They are absolutely beautiful and my photo does not begin to do justice to this one.





If you're lucky enough to be able to visit on 14th or 15th June, you can also see how gentlemen settled their differences. In other words - duelling - whether with swords or pistols.


On various dates in the second half of June there are also carriage displays including driving.

Then, in July and August - more convenient for those going to the RNA conference - there is an exhibition called "Big Bottoms and Small Waists". Not my title, I assure you!

It is, as you'll have guessed, an exhibition of undergarments. Fascinating and maybe even a little risqué.

Berrington hall, rear courtyard (c) Joanna Maitland

Details of Berrington Hall are here and details of the events and timings are here. I do hope you will find time to go. It is a magical house.  Complete with resplendent guardian in the rear courtyard.

Courtyard guardian in full fig!  (c) Joanna Maitland

Joanna
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Regency Delights at the V and A

The V&A held a Regency evening on 13th June and I went along, notebook at the ready - but not, alas, in full costume as some of the visitors did.






There was drama and violence with experts from the Royal Armouries at Leeds reconstructing duels and demonstrating the use of the single stick and quarter staff, using the space of the central courtyard to great effect. Having learned all about "Angelo's deception", a lethally effective move, I'm now looking for an opportunity to incorporate it into a fight scene in The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst. Afterwards we were able to handle genuine small swords and everyone was amazed at how light they were.






As a little refined relief from all this aggression we repaired to an elegant drawing room for parlour games. I can now play hazard and loo and have mastered the rules of teetotum, a game of such mind-numbing simplicity that it was a favourite amongst ladies who needed all their attention for gossip and watching the passing scene.



Rather more challenging was the dancing lesson. An elegant couple demonstrated the minuet, using an amazing amount of space in the process, then taught the entire audience - over 100 people - a round dance called La Pistole which involved pretending to shoot one's partner at regular intervals. I suspect that is going to make an appearance in the work in progress as well.
















And finally, still fanning ourselves, we were taken on a guided tour of some of the Regency collections. I will certainly be making a return visit to the V&A to spend more time gazing at gorgeous gowns and completely over the top Classical ornamentation on everything from tea cups to bookcases.






Louise Allen