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Mediaeval Weaponry #84

When we moved to Hoar Cross Hall an class='highlight'>inan> the 1970s, my father owned the largest private collection of arms and armour an class='highlight'>inan> the UK at that time!  He owned about 20 suits of armour and numerous items of ‘arms’, which is another word for weapons.  The word ‘arms’ comes from the Latan class='highlight'>inan> ‘arma’ which means ‘tools of war’; this word passed an class='highlight'>inan>to the English language from the French an class='highlight'>inan> 1200.  Mediaeval weapons consisted of halberds, double-edged swords, daggers, battle axes, crossbows and longbows to name but a few, these bean class='highlight'>inan>g the most common.  Knives were also used but maan class='highlight'>inan>ly for eatan class='highlight'>inan>g and repairan class='highlight'>inan>g, although I’m sure they got to be used as weapons too...

Victorian Courtship - fans #91

For the next few months I will be doan class='highlight'>inan>g a series on Victorian courtship startan class='highlight'>inan>g an class='highlight'>inan> February, the month of love, as we have just celebrated Valentan class='highlight'>inan>e’s Day on the 14th.  The Victorians used various items for flirtan class='highlight'>inan>g with, namely fans, gloves, parasols and handkerchiefs!  I imagan class='highlight'>inan>e the Meynell family at Hoar Cross Hall held lots of dan class='highlight'>inan>ner parties and Balls back an class='highlight'>inan> the Victorian days where most of the young ladies would have had their fans at the ready to signal to a secret beau.  But what were these signals and why were they used? The belief that the fan was used an class='highlight'>inan> society to express feelan class='highlight'>inan>gs or commands dates back to at least the early 18th century.  I...

Victorian Fashions #95

The Victorian era was roughly from 1830 – 1900 and saw many changes an class='highlight'>inan> fashion styles.  This was the era of technological advancement and the mass production of sewan class='highlight'>inan>g machan class='highlight'>inan>es an class='highlight'>inan> the 1850s and the advent of synthetic dyes an class='highlight'>inan>troduced major changes an class='highlight'>inan> fashion.  This, coupled with the pran class='highlight'>inan>tan class='highlight'>inan>g of fashion magazan class='highlight'>inan>es, allowed the masses to become more fashion conscious – the middle classes were risan class='highlight'>inan>g up thanks to the an class='highlight'>inan>dustrial Revolution! Clothes were an expression of your place an class='highlight'>inan> society, therefore upper-class women, who didn’t need to work, could wear more elaborate dresses over layers of petticoats with tightly laced corsets.  Men would wear long froc...

Movan class='highlight'>inan>g an class='highlight'>inan>to the Manor #2

MOVan class='highlight'>inan>G an class='highlight'>inan>TO THE MaNOR:          My parents took vacant possession of Hoar Cross Hall an class='highlight'>inan> 1970 and the whole process of movan class='highlight'>inan>g house was done over the summer months.  We lived about 20 miles away an class='highlight'>inan> an old vicarage with a large garden and lots of outbuildan class='highlight'>inan>gs. This house was about 200 years old and they say Bonnie Pran class='highlight'>inan>ce Charlie marched past it on his way to battle back an class='highlight'>inan> the day, for all you history buffs out there!  actually I love history and I than class='highlight'>inan>k my an class='highlight'>inan>terest was fuelled by an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> an class='highlight'>inan> these historic houses as a child.  My dad used to be a racan class='highlight'>inan>g driver an class='highlight'>inan> the 1950s and before that he did motorcycle racan class='highlight'>inan>g, often at nearby Donan class='highlight'>inan>gton Park.  Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the...

Movan class='highlight'>inan>g house to a mansion #1

MOVan class='highlight'>inan>G HOUSE TO a MaNSION:       My parents took vacant possession of Hoar Cross Hall an class='highlight'>inan> 1970 and the whole process of movan class='highlight'>inan>g house was done over the summer months.  We lived about 20 miles away an class='highlight'>inan> an old vicarage with a large garden and lots of outbuildan class='highlight'>inan>gs. This house was about 200 years old and they say Bonnie Pran class='highlight'>inan>ce Charlie marched past it on his way to battle back an class='highlight'>inan> the day, for all you history buffs out there!  actually I love history and I than class='highlight'>inan>k my an class='highlight'>inan>terest was fuelled by an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> an class='highlight'>inan> these historic houses as a child.  My dad used to be a racan class='highlight'>inan>g driver an class='highlight'>inan> the 1950s and before that he did motorcycle racan class='highlight'>inan>g, often at nearby Donan class='highlight'>inan>gton Park.  Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the...

The War Years and Beyond #40

THE WaR YEaRS aND BEYOND:     Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the Second World War, life an class='highlight'>inan> country houses changed dramatically. It was no different at Hoar Cross. The flower borders on the maan class='highlight'>inan> lawns were turfed over to reduce maan class='highlight'>inan>tenance and vegetables were grown an class='highlight'>inan> areas formerly restricted to flowers. Evacuees from Birman class='highlight'>inan>gham came to stay for the duration of the war and they lived an class='highlight'>inan> the basement, as it was considered to be the safest place. I imagan class='highlight'>inan>e that they must have been an class='highlight'>inan> the care of the servants as they were an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> amongst them but it must also have been quite excitan class='highlight'>inan>g for them to move from a bombed out city to the relative safety of the countryside, although they must ha...