Curios, otherwise known as knick-knacks, trinkets and ornaments are one of those household things that you either love or hate – and it seems, that the Victorian had rather a passion for them! The Victorian love of Curios The Victorians loved to collect curios and display them around the house – many even had a curio cabinet, full of the … Read More
The importance of an observatory at Grim’s Dyke
W.S. Gilbert bought Grim’s Dyke in August 1890 and, by May 1910, he’d had an observatory built at Grim’s Dyke, complete with the latest telescope. Like many affluent Victorians of that time, he wanted to indulge in his latest passion for star gazing. However, the Victorian’s passion for astronomy also played an important part in the progression of this area … Read More
Frank Holl: English painter and Royal portraitist
W.S. Gilbert had a love of paintings. Not only did he have a collection that included the likes of Duncan, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Maes, Van der Kappelle, C. Van Everdingen and an early Tenniel, but he also liked to set up an easel in the Drawing Room and paint sunsets himself. One of the most impressive paintings in this room though, … Read More
Caesar van Everdingen – one of W.S. Gilbert’s favoured painters
Caesar van Everdingen (1617-1678), also known as Caesar Pietersz was a 17th Century Dutch painter. He was a Baroque artist, focusing primarily on portrait and history, and was also known to be one of the painters from the period known as the Dutch Golden Age. W.S. Gilbert the Art Collector W.S. Gilbert loved collecting curios and art – one of … Read More
Victorian Orchards
Fruit growing rose in popularity during the 1870s and became an important pastime of the Victorians. No longer was fruit growing limited to farmers, looking to produce Perry and cider, as a form of payment to their labourers, the wealthier Victorians created orchards on their estates too. These comprises of not just apples and pears, but also stone fruits too, … Read More
How to organise a Christening
Christening events can be as simple or complex as you’d like them to be. For many, the church service and picking the right godparents, are the only essentials they need to sort out. For others, they’d rather totally celebrate the occasion, holding a reception and having professional photographs etc. taken. Regardless of the type of Christening, you’re looking to hold, … Read More
British Bees
There are approximately 250 species of bee in the UK and they can be broken down into two groups – the social bee and the solitary bee. Here’s an overview of each. Social bees There are only 24 species of social bee in the UK. The most talked about are the honey and bumble bee, but the most common is … Read More
Why the Victorians loved the game of croquet
It is thought that croquet was introduced in England in the early 1850’s, although its origins are still unclear. It was considered a most suitable pastime for the Victorian women and young girls, with its popularity quickly spreading overseas too. Why? Because it could be played alone or with others, it wasn’t too taxing for females, didn’t need strength and … Read More
Top tips on choosing your wedding venue
Your wedding venue is going to be one of the biggest decisions you’re going to make. Not only will it take up a huge chunk of your overall wedding budget, it also needs to portray your character, fit in with your wedding theme, cater for the number of guests you’re looking to invite and be available! Most wedding venues get … Read More
The Victorian sunken garden
Sir William Gilbert added the sunken rose garden at Grim’s Dyke in the late 19th Century. Sunken rose gardens became very popular in the Victorian area, growing in popularity throughout the Edwardian period of the early 1900s. It could be that Sir William added in this delightful secluded area, as he knew how much Lady Gilbert loved gardening – and … Read More