Anyone who knows me knows I would visit a stately home in England at any time of the year! There is always something to discover, always something to appreciate, always something to jot down and use in a future romance novel! However, I think if I could I would love to do a tour of English stately homes at this time of year because most of them are decked out in the most amazing Christmas finery imaginable! I don’t know that I would want to be the person responsible for decorating such large and elegant spaces, but I would definitely sign up to be an appreciative audience!
As we cannot visit these homes ourselves, I thought I might take us on a little tour of some of these homes to enjoy them in their Christmas best. We will start with my favorite stately home ever, Apsley House, which I would make a pilgrimage to every year if I could.
Of course any tour one takes with me is going to start where a musical instrument can be found. This particular instrument is the oldest surviving grand piano in the country. It was handmade in London by Americus Backers in 1772 and was owned by the first Duke of Wellington.
The Yellow Drawing Room
The Waterloo Gallery
As an added bonus, treat yourselves to this lovely podcast about the torcheres in the Waterloo Gallery. Definitely worth a listen!
They are likely very happy they did not ask me to decorate this particular statue for Christmas! I’d have been on the Naughty List for certain!
Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker’, by Antonio Canova (1757–1822), presented to Wellington in 1816 and displayed at the foot of the principal staircase at Apsley House
The Waterloo Gallery is already decked out for Christmas with the lovely red silk wallpaper. This is a handsome Christmas tree, but with those tall ceilings I might have gone for a much taller tree!
The Waterloo Gallery
The Yellow Drawing Room
Here is a better view of that amazing pianoforte and the lovely garland on the marble mantle.
The Waterloo Gallery
A longer view of the Waterloo Gallery.
Bust of Wellington Entrance Hall
Here are two views of the entrance hall decorated for Christmas. I suspect His Grace likely spent far more Christmases at Walmer Castle than he did here. However, as he was inordinately fond of children wherever the Duke of Wellington kept Christmas, he kept it very well!
Keep an eye on this space for a Christmas visit to another stately home soon!
As we recently ran a post about a Household Calvary horse named Sefton, we thought it would be appropriate to look into the Duke of Wellington’s connection to the Household Calvary, a term used to describe the cavalry of the Household Division, the most elite senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Royal Family. The British Household Cavalry is made up of two regiments of the British armed forces, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). These regiments are divided between the Armoured Regiment stationed at Combermere Barracks in Windsor and the Household Calvary stationed at Knightsbridge Barracks, London.
The first Regiment with whom the Duke of Wellington was connected was the Royal, or 1st, Dragoons, who served under Wellington, as Lord Wellesley, during the Peninsular War. They acted as rearguard during the retreat at the Torres Vedras lines in 1810 and their charge at Fuentes d’Onor in 1811 contributed greatly to that victory. By the end of 1814, the Royal Dragoons had advanced into southern France and were granted permission to march through France to Calais.
In 1815, their successful charge at Waterloo alongside the Union Brigade was responsible for maintaining the Allies’ weakest position until the Prussians arrived. The famous charge against the French Cuirassiers took place at the height of the battle and saved the British centre from being overrun. During this charge, the 105 Eagle, now part of the The Royals’ and The Blues dress, was captured from the French 105th Infantry Regiment of the Line by Captain Clarke and/or Corporal Stiles.
However, the Duke of Wellington is most closely connected to the Royal Horseguards, also called The Blues. He was appointed as Colonel of the Regiment on 1st January, 1813, which proved to be the first step towards raising The Blues to the distinction of belonging to the Household Calvary. Wellington was the first Colonel to take office as Gold Stick with the colonels of the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, regiments with whom The Blues fought at the battle of Vittoria.
The Blues formed the Heavy Cavalary Brigade at Waterloo, fighting alongside the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards. At the beginning of the Brigade charge, the Regiment was in support, but as the charge unfolded, they drew into the first line. After the battle, the following equine casualties were reported: 48 killed, 21 wounded and 25 missing.
In 1821, King George IV ordered the Regiment to be brigaded with the 1st and 2nd Life Guards and to share the duties of the King’s Life Guard.
Today, the Household Cavalry continue to guard the monarch, appearing daily at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Fittingly, the Viewing Galleries within the Wellington Arch, in front of Apsley House, offer unique views of the Household Cavalry passing beneath the Arch on their way to and from the Changing of the Guard. The Arch opens daily at 10 a.m., with the Guards usually passing at around 10:30 a.m.
We’ve entered the realm of YouTube with our very first, introductory video. If you’ve been with our blog for any length of time, you probably know us all by now, but you may not know that much about our Tours. In this video, you’ll see what a typical Number One London tour is like and in upcoming videos, we’ll be featuring our past tours and travels and showcasing our upcoming 2022 tours. So, please take a look using the link below and let us know what you think. And, should you approve, please do “like” our video and subscribe to our channel – it’s another way for us to stay connected!
A good road trip story, no matter the era, usually includes at least one good vehicle breakdown and Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires is no exception. Add the elements of roads not as well-maintained as the Great North Road, mud, snow, and sleeting rain, and it is little wonder the company sought the security and warmth of a coaching inn once they’d pushed their coach out of a ditch or two.
Excerpt from: Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires
“I hear and obey,” Lord Hadley announced as he strolled into her chamber as if it were his own. She suspected he walked into every room in the same fashion. Just as he took up all the air in any room he entered.
“When have you ever obeyed a woman, my lord?” she asked, checking the knot she’d tied in the belt of her robe, for some odd reason.
“Depends upon the woman. And what she asks me to do.” He glanced around her chamber before his heated gaze came to rest on her.
He was followed by several of the inn’s male servants. They pulled a table from the corner of the chamber and set it before the fireplace. A substantial fire burned therein, eliminating every bit of chill in the room. In moments they had the table set for two and had filled it with covered dishes of food. Once they placed the two fireside chairs on either side of the table and Elegy had taken her seat, the servants filed out, each one stopping to receive a not-so-surreptitious vale from Lord Hadley. Whilst his attention was diverted, she snatched the toweling from her hair and tied up the unbraided, barely brushed bulk of it, haphazardly, with the piece of green ribbon she found in the pocket of her robe. She wished she might see the mirror, but perhaps it was for the best she could not.
“You know this is completely improper, my lord,” Elegy said as she placed the serviette in her lap and lifted the lid on a tureen of thick beef stew.
“Will you force me to fill my plate and take my meal outside like some groom at a ball? I have had my fill of standing about in the snow and the mud for today at least.” He stood next to the chair opposite her, looking more than criminal handsome in black breeches, clean but scuffed boots, and white shirt topped with a black wool banyan. He’d shaved and his freshly washed hair hung past his shoulders.
To allow him to stay was playing with fire. Once she received her payment and left Braemar Hall forever there would be no opportunities for impropriety. Her plans demanded she live the life of a woman beyond reproach. And Elegy was so weary. She did not remember a time she had not conducted herself with the strictest attention to what was proper, what was expected, what she must do to maintain her place.
“Sit down, Lord Hadley,” she finally said. “I have never been fond of dining alone.”
This scene takes place at The Marlborough Arms in the village of Woodstock in the Cotswolds.
The industrious and well-informed Miss Perkins makes an excellent choice in The Marlborough Arms, which was established as a coaching inn in 1469 when it was called the George Inne. The village of Woodstock appears in the Doomsday Book in 1086 and was given a royal charter in 1179 by Henry II. Which was no accident as the village grew around the Royal Hunting Lodge which is now Blenheim Palace.
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)
The building which would eventually become the George Inne has a royal connection as well. It was originally built as the residence for Henry II’s mistress, Roseamunde Clifford. Seems Henry’s wife objected to the woman staying at the hunting lodge. A separate house was a wise decision on Henry’s part as his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was not known as a forgiving or gentle soul. Why would she be? It takes one badass woman to marry and bury two kings – Louis VII of France and Henry II of England.
Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth, who would later become Queen Elizabeth I, frequently visited the establishment, which in her time had already become the George Inne. She was known to sneak out of her prison at the Royal Hunting Lodge where she had been placed under house arrest by her sister Mary I in order to have a little fun.
The George Inne became The Marlborough Arms some time after the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. It was at this point it became one of the busiest coaching inns in the area. Its proximity to Blenheim and to the scenic Cotswolds made it a hub for travel both for trade and for those who sought to take holidays outside of London. The larger door in the image below leads to the inn yard where coaches pulled in to change horses and / or to pick up or deposit passengers.
Much of the inn is as it was in the 15th century. One interesting aspect is the fireplace on the main floor.
The mantel is covered in graffiti, much of it dated as far back as the 17th century. Some things never change!
However, the comfort and views make the public rooms much as they might have been during Elegy and Devlin’s visit.
No history of hauntings at The Marlborough Arms. Perhaps the custom was so busy there no chance for murder or mayhem occurred. However, just a short stroll away is the MacDonald Bear Hotel, a 13th century coaching inn (I told you Woodstock was a busy hub for travelers!)
The MacDonald Bear has at least two resident ghosts. You can learn more about them here:
My next post will be on the third stop on Elegy and Devlin’s journey – The Howard Arms in Ilmington, Warwickshire. Should you wish to go along on their journey you will find Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires at the following links:
A determined governess, a reluctant bridegroom, and a winter’s journey from London to Cheshire…Reputed to be the most exacting governess in England, Miss Elegy Perkins has cared for Lady Margaret, the spoiled daughter of the Marquess of Braemar, for twelve interminable years. Then she receives a life-changing offer that would bring her a prize of 5000 pounds and the chance at financial freedom. All she must do is find and escort Lady Margaret’s reluctant bridegroom to his wedding. A simple enough task, until she meets the bridegroom in question.Major Lord Devlin St. George has very little control of his life. For the past sixteen months he has done his utmost to avoid contracts, signed when he was a child, to leg-shackle him to the daughter of a wealthy marquess. Evading the efforts of his betrothed’s brothers to drag him to the altar, Devlin has successfully missed three wedding dates so far. The only thing that stands between him and missing a fourth is a pistol-wielding, strait-laced governess. A lady who is far more woman than she dares reveal.
I love a good road trip movie. From It Happened One Night to Romancing the Stone a witty battle between two people forced to travel together under the most impossible of conditions is a comfort watch for me. Everything that can go wrong usually does, and when it ends up crashing those people directly into love? Even better!
When I decided to write a road trip romance novel set in the Regency I discovered there was a great deal more research involved than I ever would have believed. A coach trip off the main roads from London to Cheshire in November of 1815? Yikes! I had to find out how far a heavy travel coach might go in a single day. (Thirty to forty miles.) I had to research which coaching inns might be available along the way. (Quite a few.) I also researched what the weather was like in November of 1815. (Cold, damp, and snowy.)
Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires ended up being one of my favorite books to write. One of the perks of researching for this story was my discovery of a series of little known coaching inns, still in operation as pubs today, with some fascinating histories. Histories which I thought I’d share in a series of blog posts. Especially appropriate for late September and early October as most of these histories involve ghost stories associated with each inn!
Excerpt from:Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires
The lady had a pistol.
Devlin had to admit it gave him pause. He’d had women throw vases at him—with and without flowers. Women often threw themselves at him. They’d thrown hairbrushes, slippers, jewelry, glasses of wine, a bottle of brandy, and even a singularly unattractive porcelain shepherdess. In all his thirty years, not a single woman of his acquaintance had ever pointed a pistol at him. He’d found it… arousing. Until she pulled the hammer back.
“Shall we, my lord?” She waved the pistol, a weapon she gave every sign she was accustomed to wielding, in the direction of the stable door and then brought it back to bear on him.
“One wonders what sort of people you keep company with, madam, that you needs must carry a pistol,” he said.
She gave him an inspective perusal, from his bare feet and legs, to his misbuttoned buckskins, over his open waistcoat and cutaway, to the neck of his shirt, agape and sans neckcloth. Her blue-green eyes, sharp and hard as polished jade, missed not a thing. And said a great deal.
“Point taken,” he said and tapped two fingers to his brow in salute.
This scene takes place at The Spaniard’s Inn, just outside of London. This particular establishment has already been featured on Number One London in a previous post. You can check it out here:
“My chamber has no windows, Miss Perkins,” he started.
“Not at all surprising, considering what happened at the Spaniard’s Inn this morning,” she replied.
“You knew?”
“I suspected. I did move your boots to the door.”
“You are a hard-hearted woman.”
“I am woman who trusts her instincts and her intellect. After all, on 12th November last year, you plied Lord Ethan Vines with enough beer, claret, and port to flood London again and left him insensible against your chamber door whilst you escaped out the window not to be seen again until the Duchess of Devonshire’s Christmas Ball at Chatsworth. Thereby missing your wedding on 18th November. Here we are, Lord Hadley. Do try and get some sleep. We have an early start tomorrow.” She’d managed to finish her entire recitation as smoothly as if she were lecturing Lady Margaret on proper ball etiquette. No mean feat when a man who exuded strength and barely contained carnal vitality at every step he took, seared her with every glance he turned on her.
“Good God, woman, does the Home Office know about you? How do you know…” He fell silent and ignored the chamber door George had unlocked and opened for him. “Miss Perkins,” he said as if for the first time. “Miss Elegy Perkins.”
Oh dear.
“You are Lady Margaret’s own governess.” His eyes widened, alight with humor and admiration. “You are Perfect Perkins, the most notorious governess in England.”
“Hardly notorious, my lord.” She’d never intended to give him her name, let alone have him recognize her by her reputation. She slipped her arm from his.
“To any man even attempting to speak with Lady Margaret you are notorious, Miss Perkins. You pushed Reggie Vandiver-Smythe into the Serpentine for attempting to kiss her hand.”
“It wasn’t her hand he was attempting to kiss. And once you and she are lawfully wed, you will be responsible for keeping rakes like Reggie Vandiver-Smythe away from her.”
“You are the reason she has not thrown me over for some other man more than willing to marry her. This is all your fault.”
This scene takes place at The George and Dragon in the village of West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.
The current building dates back to 1720, but an inn has been situated on the site since the 14th century. The building, the location, and nearly the entire village are so lovely and historic that nearly all of it is owned by the National Trust. Nearby, one of the area’s most fascinating attractions is the West Wycombe Caves, better known as the Hellfire Caves due to their association with the notorious Hellfire Club led by Sir Francis Dashwood. It is said the labyrinth of caves led to passageways under West Wycombe Park, the home of the club’s infamous leader.
This gentlemen’s club gained infamy throughout the British Isles during the 18th and early 19th centuries for its practices of debauchery, orgies, generous imbibing of drugs and alcohol, and according to some stories the practice of pagan rituals and witchcraft-including human sacrifice, although that aspect of their activities was never actually proven.
Members of the club were known to visit The George and Dragon during their visits to Sir Francis Dashwood’s home for the Hellfire Club festivities.
West Wycombe Park
For further reading on the club and its activities might I suggest:
The Hell-Fire Clubs: A History of Anti-Morality by Geoffrey Ashe
The Hell-Fire Friars by Gerald Suster
The Hell-Fire Clubs: Sex, Satanism and Secret Societies by Evelyn Lord
Of course, like any good historical inn, The George and Dragon has a couple of creatures about that go bump in the night. One is said to be the ghost of a patron who was robbed and murdered at The George. He makes himself known by his heavy footsteps going up and down the main staircase. One hears his approach from behind, but when one turns not a soul is there. Or is there?
The most famous spectre associated with the George and Dragon is that of Sukie, a servant at the inn during the 18th century. Sukie, an incredibly attractive young woman, had higher ambitions than an entire life of servitude at a country inn. She was said to be quite keen to use her beauty as a means to find a better life. Her ultimate goal? A life as a rich man’s mistress or wife. As a result she spurned the attentions of the local boys and set her sights on the wealthy patrons who stopped at the inn on their way to and from London.
According to the story, one night a quite rich and handsome young gentlemen stopped at the inn and quickly became enamored of Sukie. They began to see each other at the tavern on the first floor of the inn on a regular basis. Sukie was certain she had found her way out of a life of poverty and servitude. Unfortunately her spurned local beaus joined forces to play a trick on the young maid in order to get revenge on her for turning her nose up at their advances.
It is said they bribed another servant to tell Sukie her rich suitor wanted her to meet him, dressed in a gown for a wedding no less, at the entrance of the West Wycombe Caves from which they would elope. Of course when she arrived there was no handsome suitor waiting, only three local lads drunk as lords and mocking her. There are two versions of the story at this point. In one, they chase Sukie into the caves, smash her lantern, and leave her to stumble about in terror. When she falls in the dark and hits her head, the would-be beaus sober up quickly and carry her back to the village, but it is too late. She dies of her injuries in her bed at the inn. In another version there is an argument at the mouth of the cave that turns violent and Sukie is struck on the head. One of the boys goes for the doctor whilst the other two carry her back to the inn where she dies in her bed dressed in her wedding gown not long after the doctor arrives.
Entrance to the coaching inn of The George and DragonInterior courtyard of The George and Dragon InnBedchamber in The George and Dragon
Unexplained incidents began to happen in Sukie’s old room soon after her death. Two other maids were so terrified by these incidents they demanded to move rooms. Soon visitors to the inn reported the presence of a young woman in a white dress wandering the corridors all hours of the night in search of her handsome suitor.
There is no mention of Sukie in Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires. I suspect the ghostly maid felt Miss Perkins more than had her hands full with Major Lord Devlin St. George !
My next post will be on the second stop on Devlin and Elegy’s journey – The White House, also known as The Marlborough Arms on the road between Bladon and Woodstock in Oxfordshire. Should you wish to go along on their journey you will find Between Duty and the Devil’s Desires at the following links:
A determined governess, a reluctant bridegroom, and a winter’s journey from London to Cheshire…Reputed to be the most exacting governess in England, Miss Elegy Perkins has cared for Lady Margaret, the spoiled daughter of the Marquess of Braemar, for twelve interminable years. Then she receives a life-changing offer that would bring her a prize of 5000 pounds and the chance at financial freedom. All she must do is find and escort Lady Margaret’s reluctant bridegroom to his wedding. A simple enough task, until she meets the bridegroom in question.Major Lord Devlin St. George has very little control of his life. For the past sixteen months he has done his utmost to avoid contracts, signed when he was a child, to leg-shackle him to the daughter of a wealthy marquess. Evading the efforts of his betrothed’s brothers to drag him to the altar, Devlin has successfully missed three wedding dates so far. The only thing that stands between him and missing a fourth is a pistol-wielding, strait-laced governess. A lady who is far more woman than she dares reveal.
London to Cheshire…Reputed to be the most exacting governess in England, Miss Elegy Perkins has cared for Lady Margaret, the spoiled daughter of the Marquess of Braemar, for twelve interminable years. Then she receives a life-changing offer that would bring her a prize of 5000 pounds and the chance at financial freedom. All she must do is find and escort Lady Margaret’s reluctant bridegroom to his wedding. A simple enough task, until she meets the bridegroom in question.Major Lord Devlin St. George has very little control of his life. For the past sixteen months he has done his utmost to avoid contracts, signed when he was a child, to leg-shackle him to the daughter of a wealthy marquess. Evading the efforts of his betrothed’s brothers to drag him to the altar, Devlin has successfully missed three wedding dates so far. The only thing that stands between him and missing a fourth is a pistol-wielding, strait-laced governess. A lady who is far more woman than she dares reveal.
This scene takes place at The George and Dragon in the village of West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.
