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The Chinese Room #71

The Chinese Room is the last in the series of the rooms that were open to the public at Hoar Cross Hall during the 1970s.  It had three doorways and was entered from the Ballroom, the Long Gallery and the Entrance Hall and was originally the Dining Room of the house when the Meynell family lived there.  The centrepiece of the room is the 18th century carved wood mantelpiece, incorporating classical figures and floral decorations, with a carved and painted armorial overmantel.     As you can probably guess from the name of the room, the main theme was oriental  armour, tapestries and furniture, including a Burmese Palace Chair.  The oriental armour was a...

The Grand Opening #5

...named The Chinese Room as my dad had quite a collection of Chinese armour, swords and wall hangings – and even a Burmese Palace Chair (see header picture).  Display cabinets bought in sale rooms showed off smaller items. The biggest excitement though was seeing our house advertised on the local TV channel! The Damask Room was turned into Lady Dorothy’s Boudoir complete with an 18th century four poster bed, an original bed complete with canopy and hanging curtains slept in by aristocrats throughout the centuries. I used to love lying on the bed with the curtains closed imagining myself in another era – once I lay down on the bed and fell asleep. When I aw...

The Grand Opening #5

...named The Chinese Room as my dad had quite a collection of Chinese armour, swords and wall hangings – and even a Burmese Palace Chair.  Display cabinets bought in sale rooms showed off smaller items. The biggest excitement though was seeing our house advertised on the local TV channel! The Damask Room was turned into Lady Dorothy’s Boudoir complete with an 18th century four poster bed, an original bed complete with canopy and hanging curtains slept in by aristocrats throughout the centuries.  I used to love lying on the bed with the curtains closed imagining myself in another era – once I lay down on the bed and fell asleep.  When I awoke and climbed o...

Mediaeval Mayhem! #12

...from the Chinese Room and Ballroom had been removed and put into storage elsewhere in the house.   A local carpenter had made long tables and benches to seat about 200 guests in the Ballroom, which was now known as the Banqueting Hall.  We had employed caterers to do the food and the Chinese Room was used as a food preparation area next to the kitchen/café.   A bar had been built in the middle of the Long Gallery.   I had to sew numbers onto the coat hangers for the cloakroom – it took all day to do 100 hangers!  The afternoon was spent laying the tables with mugs, daggers and serviettes.  Before 7pm we went to get changed into our mediaeval dresses...

The Grand Opening #5

...named The Chinese Room as my dad had quite a collection of Chinese armour, swords and wall hangings – and even a Burmese Palace Chair.  Display cabinets bought in sale rooms showed off smaller items. The biggest excitement though was seeing our house advertised on the local TV channel! The Damask Room was turned into Lady Dorothy’s Boudoir complete with an 18th century four poster bed, an original bed complete with canopy and hanging curtains slept in by aristocrats throughout the centuries.  I used to love lying on the bed with the curtains closed imagining myself in another era – once I lay down on the bed and fell asleep.  When I awoke and climbed o...

Meet the Neighbours - Shugborough Hall #80

...s are The Chinese House and two Chinese-style bridges, in honour of Admiral George Anson, Thomas’ younger brother, who had visited Canton and left a huge amount of money to his older brother when he died.  This was used to further expand the house and estate. The Admiral was created Lord Anson in 1747 and First Lord of the Admiralty in 1751 and it seems that he had a successful naval and political career.  However he and his brother both died childless so the estate passed to their sister’s son, George Adams, who took on the surname of Anson by royal licence.  This adopting of surnames was common among the aristocracy and also happened at Hoar Cross Hall...