I’m still plodding my way through The Silver Fork Society: Fashionable Life and Literature from 1814 to 1840 by Alison Adburgham (Constable and Co, 1983) that I wrote about on June 4. Although I’m out of the strict Regency period, (it is around 1823 now) I have reached a chapter that describes country house parties. This seems perfect to mention, since Amanda has provided us with the country house in which we might all gather for a country house party.

What might we do with ourselves?

Imagine my surprise to discover we might be bored.

Adburgham quotes Thomas Creevy, writing to his step-daughter in 1823 from Lord Sefton’s Stoke Farm:
“My life here is a most agreeable one. I am much the earliest riser in the House, and have above two hours to dispose of before breakfast, which is at 11 o’clock or even later. Then I live with myself again till about 3, when the ladies and I ride for 3 hours or so…We dine at 1/4 past seven, and the critics would say not badly. We drink in great moderation — walk out, all of us, before tea, and then crack okes and fiddle till about 1/2 past 12 or 1. “

I guess it all depends on who we might fiddle with!

Mrs. Arbuthnot, in her journal in June, 1829, spoke of amateur theatricals at country house parties, which, of course, Jane Austen told us about in Mansfield Park. Mrs. Arbuthnot listed several participants at a house party at Lord Salisbury’s Hatfield. She said:
“They acted two plays and I really thought they played better than real actors. “

So I guess we might “put on a show.”

What are your plans to entertain yourselves this summer? I’m headed for a family reunion next weekend in Tennessee- my husband’s father’s side of the family. I’ll report in on it next Monday.

Image of Thomas Creevey is from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRcreevey.htm
Image of theatrical is Arizona Theatre Company’s 2005 performance of Pride & Prejudice
Image of Melbury House is from Diane’s own collection!

Don’t forget to sign up for the Risky Regencies newsletter, with fun things to do this summer (well, reading our blog is a fun thing). Email riskies@yahoo.com and put Newsletter in the subject line.

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and England has some unique celebrations that were certainly around in Regency times and may have dated back centuries, and some of them are just plain weird. The most famous modern solstice celebration is that at Stonehenge, where over twenty thousand people gathered this morning at sunrise.

In Cornwall, there are midsummer bonfire festivals.

Derbyshire has its own peculiar brand of midsummer celebrations with well-dressing, something that is probably associated with the ancient worship of sacred springs. Villagers create pictures made of flowers and leaves stuck into clay in a wooden frame, often very elaborate and detailed, which are then on display at the local well. Although the tradition is associated with the solstice, the season lasts from May until September. In one of those particularly odd English marriages of the sacred and profane, here the Mayor and Bishop of Derby bless the Derby offering of 1997.

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and England has some unique celebrations that were certainly around in Regency times and may have dated back centuries, and some of them are just plain weird. The most famous modern solstice celebration is that at Stonehenge, where over twenty thousand people gathered this morning at sunrise.

In Cornwall, there are midsummer bonfire festivals.

Chanctonbury Ring in Sussex has the peculiar power to raise the devil if you can persuade someone to run around it seven times anti-clockwise and you can see fairies if you recite A Midsummer Night’s Dream there on midsummer night’s eve (hmm. We should have commissioned Cara and Todd for this one). It has quite a reputation for paranormal events and experiences.

Derbyshire has its own peculiar brand of midsummer celebrations with well-dressing, something that is probably associated with the ancient worship of sacred springs. Villagers create pictures, often very elaborate and detailed, made of flowers and leaves stuck into clay in a wooden frame which are then displayed at the local well. Although the tradition is associated with the solstice, the season lasts from May until September. In one of those particularly odd English marriages of the official and pagan, here the Mayor and Bishop of Derby bless the Derby offering of 1997.

The solstice is also considered to be a powerful time for love divinations and the best time to gather herbs for magical properties (if you want to dream of your future lover, by the way, sleep with some yarrow beneath your pillow).

Do you know of any interesting solstice customs? Have you read or written about one?

Sign up for the Riskies newsletter at riskies@yahoo.com and we’ll send you our mysterious flower-studded news every month.