Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland

Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland.

Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. It was the Irish seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry, whose descendants still occupy private quarters of the building.

After many years of neglect, the 7th Marquess of Londonderry and his wife moved into Mount Stewart where they redesigned and redecorated the interior. Much of the design was inspired by The Marchioness of Londonderry’s ancestral home in Scotland. The house underwent extensive restoration between 2012 and 2015 to revive the interiors favored by the 7th Marchioness, Edith. Unseen rooms are now on show to the public.

Lady Londonderry’s Sitting Room

Cotton and Silk warp rep for curtains and pelmets.

Window drapes with period silk faced pelmets for Lady Londonderry’s Sitting room. The fabric in fine ochre silk organzine shot with vivid pink weft in cotton.

The fabric features a simple vertical rib in fine detail which adds extra texture to the restrained style. 

All of the rooms have been re-presented with textiles, carpets and curtains that would have been present during Lady Londonderry’s occupancy.

Project reference: 2391

 

The Dining Room

Restoration of The Empire chairs from the Congress of Vienna, 1814.

Humphries Weaving were approached by the National Trust to weave silk fabric for slip covers for the suite of 22 Congress of Vienna guilt wood chairs. It is documented that the embroidery on the seats and backs was completed by nuns in Nantes in the early 1930s. The embroideries depict the coat of arms of each European representative whom attended the Congress of Vienna conference in 1815 at Mount Stewart.

The colour and texture of the fabric was taken from the original fabric discovered on the frames of the chairs at the time they were conserved by the National Trust Conservation Studio, Norfolk. Humphries Weaving were able to utilise a combination of three shades to closely match the original thread extractions from the chair document.

Project Reference: 2974

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