At the stately home yesterday....for those who are interested

hollydolly

hollydolly

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This stately home is Audley end house.. I've visted several times but yesterday was the first time I've visted on my own. The first day of opening of the season, and the flower gardens are bare unfortunatelly.... they usually don't open until around easter...

This is a Stately home and gardens dating from the 17th century, which ha been kept pretty much in the same condition as it was left in around 1875... and just been maintained since then... so marks on walls etc, are genuine,..original fixtures, beds, furniture, linens , art etc..

if you're interested in the history you'll find it here... Audley End House - Wikipedia

the house looks as tho' it only has 3 stories from the outside but in fact it's so vast inside that to get up to the top floor, you have to climb 10 sets of steep stairs.. the hallways are very long, but many of the rooms just lead into each other and have no hallway between them... the original house was 3 times as big as this.. more explained on the link above...


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I always marvel at the magnificence of these stately homes, while another part of me feels anger towards the people who built and lived in them, while so many of the population lived in poverty and squalor.

Smashing pictures Holly, thank you. šŸ˜Š
 
I love historic estates, all the life those old buildings have seen is incredible. I always wish I could bypass all the touristy sections and explore on my own, I'd love be able to explore the basements and attics, or even other old buildings on the grounds.
 
Now back in the day even the head of the household like the butler or head gardener..would be quite young.. early 30's for the butler.. early 20's for the gardner..

In a large house like Audley there would be several Housemaids, undercooks , gardeners, stable hands..under butlers etc...

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In the kitchen.. this range would have had to be blackleaded on a regular basis, usually by the under housemaid or tweeny... probably around age 14 or 15...
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..and finally inside the house...the last place you would think they would keep the coal to heat for the baths... was on the very top floor with the boiler

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...and this one of the very first ever flushing water closets ( toilets) in the UK.....one of these cost the equivelent of 2 servants wages for a year.

There would have been many other bedrooms , kitchens, and toilets throughout the house, but 2/3rds of the house was demolished...

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Later more pics of what's left of the servants quarters...
 
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Thanks Hols. Beautiful pictures. What a fun thing to do. This thread has made me jealoos !!!! But I do feel bad for the servants. they couldn't even protest back then.
 

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