Merry Christmas from Historic Royal Palaces 🎄
"Oh, bring us some figgy pudding!" Well, some 14th century Fygeye in this case. Our Historic Christmas Recipe series continues with a figgy pudding of the medieval variety.
Our Historic Christmas Recipe video series continues with a 14th century take on pigs in blankets!
Objects Unwrapped - Hymn Book
The Chapel Royal has long played a central role in the life of Hampton Court Palace. This leather bound book of ‘Church Services – Hymns A+M’ was given to a former Grace and Favour resident as a Christmas present in 1917. Services continue to be held at the Chapel Royal to this day.
Objects Unwrapped - Christmas card
This is certainly not the most festive card you are likely to receive – the front cover for example shows the seal of the Tower of London along with its postcode! It was sent from Jack Burnard to L.V. Lane, a carpenter and joiner, working at the Tower of London from 1935 to 1939. As well as this Christmas card, we also have Mr Lane’s membership to the Shop Stewards’ Movement – Builders, Engineers & Supplies and his payment card which reveals he was paid 1 shilling, 8 ½ pence per hour for his work. Historic Royal Palaces’ collection also contains a selection of many carpentry tools he would have used every day, including 18 different planes for shaping and finishing wood.
Objects Unwrapped - ‘Baby Belling’ oven
Our next Objects Unwrapped offering is this 1960s oven from Hampton Court Palace. Up until the 18th century, the palace had large centralised kitchens preparing hundreds of meals a day for the court. This stopped once it became a Grace and Favour residence, with servants preparing individual meals for their employers instead. Throughout the 20th century, the number of servants dramatically declined, and the apartments, which were often cold and uncomfortable, were gradually modernised. This oven was specifically designed for use in smaller households, perfect for the 20th century Grace and Favour resident, but a bit of struggle to fit your Christmas turkey in!
Objects Unwrapped - Condiment dish
This small green-glazed ceramic dish was found during excavations near the Middle Tower at the Tower of London in the 1930s. It dates from the late 13th century and was possibly made at a pottery workshop in Kingston, just down the river from Hampton Court Palace. The Kingston potteries provided Londoners with a wide range of practical, as well as decorative, tableware and kitchen pottery in the 13th and 14th centuries. Documents show that the Kingston potteries did supply the Royal Court with pottery at this time, and this piece could be part of that group.
Objects Unwrapped - Jigsaw puzzle
We continue our Objects Unwrapped series with this 1950s jigsaw puzzle from Hampton Court Palace. It belonged to one of the families who lived as Grace and Favour residents at the palace. By 1840, there were enough children living at Hampton Court for it to have its own school, with a schoolhouse being built on Tennis Court Lane in the 1870s. This was also attended by the children of those working at the palace and children from nearby Hampton and East Moseley.
Objects Unwrapped - Servants bell
Objects Unwrapped continues as we reveal this 19th/20th century servants bell which would have been used in the Grace and Favour apartments at Hampton Court Palace.
At the height of Grace and Favour during the 19th century, there were as many as 100 residents living at Hampton Court. To look after them, a further 200–300 servants also lived and worked at the palace. The apartments were often large with on average 14 rooms (some had up to 40 rooms!) spread across many floors. This bell is one of several from the Victorian and Edwardian period that would have been heard, ringing to summon a servant through the labyrinth of corridors and stairways that make up the palace. If you look carefully you can see many of these bell systems still present throughout the palace today.
Objects Unwrapped - Leather mâché putto
Before Henry VIII rode into Hampton Court and transformed it into a Palace, Cardinal Wolsey had already developed the Surrey residence into much grander lodgings for his own use. From purchasing the property in 1514, Wolsey continued to develop and expand Hampton Court until 1528, when Henry acquired the property after falling out with his former advisor.
Objects Unwrapped - Tankard
This 18th century pewter tankard was found during archaeological excavations of the moat in 1996-7. It was from one of the many trenches dug in the moat during these excavations, which revealed many fascinating objects that give us an insight into what life was like at the Tower of London. The tankard, along with several other finds, was found in a trench located in the southwest corner by the Byward Tower.
Come along to a special Brunchtime Lecture at Kensington Palace on 5 December to explore the surprising world of Pantomime and Performance in Victorian England.
Victorian pantomimes were extremely elaborate spectacles. Performances often involved high production costs and hundreds of performers, lasting anywhere up to six hours! Here is an image of Dan Leno, a famous Pantomime Dame, dressed for his role as Mother Goose in Cinderella.
Find out more here: http://bit.ly/1SjNAfP
© Bridgeman Images
Recipe of the day: Hippocras For a 16th century twist on your mulled wine this year, mix cloves, nutmeg and galingale with ground cinnamon, sugar and ginger, add to red wine and enjoy!
Read the recipe in full and browse our other Christmas Banquet dishes here: http://bit.ly/banquethippocras
Recipe of the day: Christmas pudding This mid-19th century recipe is the first recorded version of the Christmas pudding we know and love today. The pudding seems to have become popular during the reign of Queen Victoria. Her husband Prince Albert brought over many seasonal traditions from his native Germany, including eating a fruit-filled pudding at Christmas time! Try out the recipe for yourself and browse our other Christmas Banquet recipes here: http://bit.ly/banquetpudding
Recipe of the day: Mince pies
This 17th century recipe might not be the version you are used to making at home... Using mutton, currants, raisins and prunes along with a selection of spices, these mince pies will put your culinary skills to the test!
Take a look at the recipe in full and browse our other Christmas banquet dishes here: http://bit.ly/12WxLYn
Recipe of the day: Beef y-Stywyd
This hearty Tudor beef stew is likely to have been a firm favourite in the kitchens of Hampton Court Palace during the winter months. The recipe combines cinnamon, clove, sage and parsley with beef to create a dish fit for kings and queens alike!
Try it out for yourself and take a look at our full selection of Christmas Banquet recipes here: http://bit.ly/beefy-stywyd