1676 Inventory of Middleton Hall #5: The Red Chamber and Old Study
This post, the fifth in the series detailing the rooms and contents of Middleton Hall as described in the 1676 inventory, focuses on the rooms named as “The Red Chamber” and “The Old Study”. Both of these rooms were mentioned in the previous post on The Chapel, having been entered on the inventory list either side of “The Space Into The Chapel”. As a result, it is thought that these rooms may have been situated close to where the 1391 Chapel was located on the north side of Middleton Hall and may even have been the rooms occupying the first floor of that building.
The Red Chamber was a bedroom, but not a family one. In this era, bedchambers tended to be located on the first floor. This was a fashion trend that varied over the centuries. The defining feature of a bedchamber was solely that it contained a bed but, historically, it was a multi-functional room. Bedchambers developed from the medieval solar. As a result, for a large part of history, it was a private room not only used to sleep in but also used throughout the day for resting and grooming, as well as receiving guests and undertaking other entertainment and business activities. It was only in the 19th century that the room became identified specifically with sleeping.
Although the inventory is a useful illustration of the household at Middleton Hall, two caveats must be taken into account when considering the items. First, many items listed in the inventory are just being stored in rooms, rather than being in their proper place. Second, this inventory was taken when the house was closed, not in its lived-in fully-furnished fine state.
In the 1676 inventory, in the Red Chamber, there were a number of items that have already been described in the previous post on John Ray’s Chamber, these were:
• One bedstead. As noted, in this era, a bedstead solely referred to the corded wooden bed frame.
• One feather bed. This referred solely to what would today be termed a mattress and was filled with the rigid body feathers of geese or ducks.
• One bolster and two pillows. A bolster was a long firm cylindrical cushion that stretched the width of the bed and was placed beneath the bed sheet.
• One rug. In this era, rugs were not used on the floor but were a thick shaggy blanket.
• Two carpets. In this era, carpets referred to a cloth covering a table or a chest not a floor covering.
Similarly, some of the items were also described in the previous post on the Garret, these were:
• One plush chair and two old plush stools. As noted, in this era, plush was a luxury fabric with a long, thick shaggy pile.
• A close stool and pan. This was a wooden box-stool enclosing a toilet pan.
The other items of furniture listed in the Red Chamber were one footstool, three chairs, one stand, two tables, a fire shovel, tongs, bellows and:
• One couch. In this era, the term couch specifically referred to a long, narrow, upholstered bench that would be used for resting on during the day. Essentially, it was an early form of the daybed and was similar in style to the chaise longue, which was invented in the 18th century.
• Two stools to the beds. These refer to specialised small low stools placed immediately beside the bed. They had a dual purpose. First, they were a necessary step aid to be able to get into a tall bedstead. Second, they provided a seat for servants in attendance.
• One French table that was unjointed or down. This was a folding table, which had either been dismantled or was folded down. Individual easily moveable folding tables like the French or the English gateleg table were introduced to England in about the late 16th century.
The other material items listed in the Red Chamber were two blankets and:
• One counterpane. In the 17th century, a counterpane was a high-status, decorative bedspread that covered the bed during the day. Highly decorative raised textures, intricate weaving and embroidery were key aspects of counterpanes in this era. It could be quilted, woven or knitted, made of various materials and it also was not required to be particularly thick or multi-layered.
• Curtains and valons with one rod and laces. In the previous post on John Ray’s Chamber, it was explained that a valon meant a valance. This was a decorative strip of fabric that hung across the top of a window or around the frame of a canopy bed. The laces were not previously mentioned and these referred to decorative cords or braided trimmings that were used to tie, loop or embellish the curtains.
• Red buckram to go about the valons to save them. Buckram is a fabric that has changed in nature over the centuries. In medieval times it was an expensive, fine imported fabric made of cotton. However, by the 17th century, it had begun to be made in England and was a utilitarian heavily starched, stiff, coarse linen cloth. Valances were often made of expensive materials such as silk, velvet or fine wool. These would have been vulnerable to dirt and damp and thus they had been wrapped in the cheap buckram in order for that to act as a protective cover.
The inventory reveals that Middleton Hall contained numerous studies. Not only was there the Old Study, but there was also John Ray’s Study and the Master’s Study. Furthermore, the partial 1687 inventory reveals that there were a further three studies that were missing from the 1676 inventory.
The study developed as a private withdrawing room, the function of which, until the 17th century, was served by the solar. In the late 17th century, the private study developed. It was also known as a cabinet or closet. The specific term and concept of the study derived from the Italian Renaissance concept of the “studiolo”, which was a private place for reading and meditation and often contained a writing desk.
In 17th century England, these studies, cabinets or closets were small rooms attached to bedchambers. In their most basic form, they were no more than a dressing room. However, they could be much more. Depending on the resident, the contents of this room could often include general collected items, works of art or books. This led to the development of the phrase “cabinet of curiosities”.
In the Old Study, the inventory listed one uncovered chair, a three-footed stool, one stand, one chest and:
Two wrought stools and one wrought chair. In this era and context, wrought meant worked but not ironwork. It referred to upholstered textile work, specifically some type of worked embroidery or needlepoint tapestry fabric that had been directly stitched onto the piece of furniture. These would have been considered luxury items.
A great nest of drawers. The nest of drawers was a type of cabinet that contained multiple small tiered drawers. It was used for storing either documents or collector’s items. This type of cabinet developed in the mid-17th century and was highly valuable.
Interestingly, it is known that Francis Willughby wrote to John Ray, when Ray was still at Cambridge, stating that he was going to design a cabinet to keep his collections and asking Ray for advice on its design. It is known that Willughby actually made two cabinets, of which only one has survived. The cabinet Willughby constructed was made of walnut wood and contained 15 drawers with about 1,200 separate compartments. There is a very good possibility that this inventory item refers to one of Willughby’s cabinets.
Further Reading: Tim Birkhead, The Wonderful Mr Willughby, 2018.
Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.
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