Story Search Results

Like Father, Like Sons #19

...into the chapel wall breaking his pelvis! Occasionally he got to drive it at Chasewater when Gavin was testing so then there were two of them going off to race at weekends. Piers with his trophy   It was in 1979/80 that Piers started to test a proper racing kart and went on to race for four seasons with 1983 being the most successful – the highlight was winning the Cristal Challenge National. He also drove Gavin’s Reynard FF2000 at Donington Park for a few laps to get the feel of a racing car and to see if his future lay there. Nowadays he’s more interested in the two wheel variety, regularly travelling around Europe riding along the French mounta...

An Edwardian Schoolroom Maid #40

...ce at the chapel ready for morning prayers. All the family and staff had to attend although it was only prayers spoken by Colonel Meynell – no singing or music. By mid-day she had again changed her outfit to an afternoon dress and made her way to the workroom to assist the lady’s maid in mending, sewing and general repairs to Miss Dorothy’s wardrobe. Lady Dorothy with Miss Dorothy on the left   It seems to me that people were forever changing their clothes in those days! For the servants their morning dress was plain and serviceable covered with a large apron, for doing all the chores around the house. Their afternoon dress was still plain but usua...

Behind the green baize door #47

..."The green baize door - dividing line betwix servant and master.” All stately homes had at least one green baize door and Hoar Cross Hall was no different. This was the door used by the servants to access the main part of the house unobtrusively and silently so they could go about their work without disturbing the family. The Hall had a spiral staircase at each end of the house for the servants to use and the green baize door on the ground floor opened onto the Garden Corridor which led to the chapel and the main house, as well as the garden. The green baize door on the first floor opened onto the east wing corridor and guest bedrooms and from this corridor t...

The Ballroom #70

...Continuing my series on the rooms that were open to the public at Hoar Cross Hall, we move from the Library, through the secret door, to the Ballroom.  Overlooking the gardens and the former deer-park, this beautifully proportioned room is elegant and grand.  The lower halves of the walls are covered in carved white and gold wood panelling which is complemented by the original hand printed blue wallpaper, again over 150 years old (see photo below).  Incredibly the original wooden printing blocks for the wallpaper were in the house when we moved in and were on show to the public in this room.  The fireplaces are made of marble with carved wood overmantels wh...