Sherborne Castle, Dorset Part II

Terradactyl is doing well, growing by the day, and now has feathers -- just in case you wanted to know. lol

Shorborne castle was modernized starting in 1757, so it really very Georgian. George III visited the house with the Queen and three of the Princesses in August 1789, pending the day riding in the park and staying for dinner. The house remained unchanged.

I spent quite a long time looking at the furniture in this house, since so much of it was contemporary to the Regency.
We often read about the commode, this is a George III version made of tulip and rosewood and was one of a pair. They are in the serpentine shape that was very popular through this period. They are attributed to Pierre Langlois. These chests were drawing room furniture, and would hold candelabra while the drawers might contain a writing slide or a reading stand.


Another interesting piece of furniture was an adjustible gout stool similar to that pictured here.


The hall chairs, similar to these, looked very uncomfortable and no doubt the footman waiting outside the door was unlikely to fall asleep, even if he was permitted to sit down.

The house also boasts a set of Henry Alken prints showing what is purported to be the first steeple chase on record. that is a race from one church stteple to the other. These were officers, and note they are in their night clothes, and they are racing from Ipswich Barracks to Nacturn Village. Hilarious.


One thing I did want to describe to you was the clothes press, made of mahogany from the Regency period which was a little different to most I have seen, it had a cupboard in the middle and drawers on each side. And by the way did you know that the word cupboard stems back to the middle ages when a lord would put his cups out on a board between two trestles to show his wealth? Eventually the board was closed in with doors, but it retains its original word. You probably did know that, but I only discovered it recently.

Well that is it for today. Sherborne Castle which is not really a castle is simply a treasure trove of wonderful things. If you ever get a chance to visit. I highly recommend it.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.