Part 3 Research point Doddington Hall

Doddington Hall

Doddington Hall near Lincoln is owned by Claire and James Birch.  Claire’s mother Victoria Jarvis called it “a little big house or a big little house”.  The house was built in 1598 by Thomas Tailor who made his money in the Elizabethan property boom.  The architect is almost certainly Robert Smythson who also designed Longleat, Hardwick Hall and Wollaton Hall.

In the 1760’s the Hall was modernised and the interior we see today is the Georgian renovation.      Because the house has been in the hands of the same family throughout its life and never been sold the collections have accumulated and remained in situ.  Furniture particularly has come into the house and not left.

The Tiger Bedroom

There are two wonderful beds in the Hall.  The four poster in the Tiger Bedroom came from Seaton Delaval in Northumberland in 1804.  The bed hangings are from this period and in the late 1970’s were restored.  Fine net has been ironed onto the back of the fabric to prevent further deterioration.

Hangings in the Tiger Bedroom

In the same room there is a patchwork quilt that covers a table.  The quilt was found in a drawer by Victoria Jarvis and she completed it.  The quilt was started around 1900 and the fabrics all date from this period.  There are pockets on the quilt that were used as secret hiding places for maids to pass messages on to footmen.

The Holly Bedroom

In the Holly Bedroom the bed, another four poster, dates from the 1680’s and it has its original embroidered crewel work hangings.  The bedspread and cushion with the lace border is 18C and was made in Portugal at Castello Branco who made furnishings and clothes for the Royal family.

Hangings in the Holly Bedroom

Notice the tapestries on the wall behind the bed.  These were put on the wall in the manner of wallpaper in 1762.  The tapestries are Flemish and date from around 1670.  They are woven in silk and wool and show scenes of rural pursuits, a cobbler, a gamekeeper and a gentleman in ornate dress. 

The tapestries were nailed directly onto the wall and cut ruthlessly if they didn’t fit.  By the time the photograph above was taken they were in a sorry state.  They were covered in dust, dirt and the corrosive soot from the fires of hundreds of years. 

Tapestry prior to cleaning

In 2009 the tapestries were passed to the Doddington Hall Conservation Charity which secured the money from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other local donors to begin their restoration.  The tapestries were documented panel by panel by a team of students from Lincoln University and then they had the job of taking them down extracting hundreds of nails. 

Typical damage to a tapestry

As much dirt as possible was removed with specialist vacuum cleaners before they were parcelled up and sent to Belgium’s De Wit Manufacture Royale, Europe’s leading textile restoration specialists.  In controlled conditions, they were laid flat while water was gently forced through the wool and silk.  Gradually the vivid blues and golds began to emerge.

A cleaned tapestry

The tapestries are now back at Doddington but are awaiting further work.  They are extremely fragile and need nails holes and worn patches repairing.  There is a plan to install a loom in the Holly Bedroom so the public can see this work being undertaken.  Once this work is complete the tapestries should be in a stable enough condition to rehang them.  It is hoped that the Heritage Lottery Fund will help once again.

The Tent Room

Every surface of the room is covered in an elaborate applique Egyptian tent.  It was given to Doddington Hall by Harry, later Viscount Crookshank, who was MP for Gainsborough for over 30 years.  During the summers of 1930’s Harry Crookshank rented Doddington from his friend Colonel Jarvis who summered in France.  Crookshank pitched the tent on the lawn to entertain his constituents.  Crookshank was born in Cairo and the tent was made there at the turn of the 20C.  Each of the panels, whilst basically the same shape, has a different design. Such tents are still made today.

For 70 years the tent was tucked mouldering away but was restored in India in the 1990’s.

The Applique Tent

Throughout the house there are chairs with hand woven seat coverings, brocade covered settees, samplers and embroidered panels.  There are also a number of precious family textiles that are not on public display because they are so fragile.

This is a wonderful house to visit not least because it is so obviously a family home with beautiful gardens.