Objects in focus
Ickworth uncovered
Explore the artworks featured in the new theatrical immersive exhibition of light and dark at the grand 18th-century Palladian building of Ickworth, Suffolk.
Arlington's horse-drawn sleigh
Arlington Court’s Carriage Museum in Devon houses a 19th-century horse-drawn sleigh. This type of sleigh is known as an Albany Cutter, named after the US city where it was first made.
Early hot-water bottles
Before the invention of rubber hot-water bottles stoneware ones were used. Although many were cylindrical in shape, this circular one at A La Ronde, Devon, would have slid easily under blankets.
Copper pans in Petworth's kitchen
In the 19th century the kitchens of Petworth would have produced on average 100 meals a day and the kitchens still boast a vast array of copper pots and pans.
William Morris Acanthus bedspread
Winter is a time for snuggling under blankets. This beautifully hand-embroidered bedspread at Standen House, West Sussex, may be the work of William's daughter May.
A 17th-century fashion accessory
In the collection at Dunham Massey, Cheshire, these exquisitely embroidered Elizabethan mittens were often held or tucked into one's belt as an ostentatious display of wealth, rather than being worn.
