Beneath the lavish halls and chambers of Temple Newsam House, a huge network of cellars was once liberally stocked with thousands upon thousands of gallons of beer. Upstairs, 18th-century aristocrats would host lavish banquets and parties where locally-brewed ales would flow freely and guests would raise a toast to kings and queens. Now that…
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A new exhibition will reach the pinnacle of sartorial style by exploring flamboyant fashions from the home of the world’s highest mountains. Lotherton’s new Himalayan Fashions exhibition, which opens later this week, will see incredible clothes and outfits collected from Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal go on display in the house’s stunning fashion galleries. Among…
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In the 18th Century, a furniture maker from Leeds came up with a revolutionary new idea to sell his fabulous designs to potential customers. In a ground-breaking stroke of marketing genius, he produced the first “furniture catalogue”, filled with hand-drawn images of the beautiful pieces he could craft to order. The book was called…
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On the evening of March 14, 1941, the staff at Leeds City Museum safely locked away their incredible collection of exhibits, antiquities and curiosities for the night. Among the thousands of items on display inside was a magnificent elephant’s skeleton, a rare collection of stamps on loan from the Leeds Philatelic Society and the…
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Thomas Chippendale, 1718-1779: a celebration of British craftsmanship and design launches a nationwide programme to mark the tercentenary in 2018 of the birth of Thomas Chippendale senior, celebrating his life as furniture maker, designer and entrepreneur. The exhibition will show key pieces from the Royal Collection, Paxton House, Newby Hall, and Dumfries House displayed…
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It’s a hard to imagine exactly how the gigantic bid that laid this colossal egg would have looked. But it’s clear that the Madagascan elephant bird, a huge, three metre tall giant, must have been one of the largest birds that ever lived. Related to modern kiwis, elephant birds disappeared around 1200 AD and…
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A remarkable Roman stash made up of hundreds of ancient coins has gone on display in Leeds this week. Part of the famous Cridling Stubbs hoard, which lay buried in a North Yorkshire field for more than 1,600 years, can now be seen in Leeds City Museum’s Ancient Worlds gallery until July. Experts believe…
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A beautifully elaborate example work by a word famous Leeds master craftsman, this beautiful lady’s secretaire will be going on display at Leeds City Museum next month. Made by none other than Thomas Chippendale, the stunning cabinet was created in 1773 and fashioned from specially-imported Chinese lacquer panels. Originally made for the State Bedroom…
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Inspirational women who have blazed a trail through history are being celebrated in an empowering new exhibition in Leeds. A Woman’s Place? opens at Kirkstall’s Abbey House Museum this weekend and marks the centenary of the first British women getting the right to vote as well as celebrating the quiet heroism of ordinary women.…
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The gigantic silver wine cooler that dominates the dining room at Temple Newsam House is a truly dazzling sight to behold. Weighing an impressive 2,500 ounces and measuring almost a metre-and-a-half across, the cooler was acquired by Leeds Museums and Galleries in 2011. Made between 1685 and 1710, the cooler bears the mark of…
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It’s the quintessentially British brew that over the centuries has been enjoyed by everyone from Yorkshire’s lords and ladies, to its miners and mill workers. Now a curator’s exciting new discovery about the history of the humble cuppa is causing quite a stir at Temple Newsam House. The fascinating document, found buried in local…
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For the hard-working women once chosen to represent some of the country’s most prominent industries, suitably regal attire was an absolute must. This glamourous gown, for example, was once worn by the country’s Railway Queens, who would be the face of the rail industry at all manner of events and functions and even international…
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For more than three thousand years, Nesyamun’s mummified remains have resided in the beautiful, ornate coffin which is today on display at Leeds City Museum. Known locally as The Leeds Mummy, the coffin and its occupant have captivated generations of visitors to the city and are one of the museum’s most famous exhibits. Experts believe…
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It could well be the most delicate and exclusive piece of removals work Leeds has ever seen. This week at Temple Newsam House, curators began the daunting task of relocating a number of historic pieces of furniture created by world-renowned mastercraftsman Thomas Chippendale ahead of a new exhibition at Leeds City Museum in February.…
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A fascinating collection of items has gone on display in Leeds as part of a new exhibition exploring the ancient history of the Buddhist faith. Monks from Headingley Thai Temple visited Leeds City Museum’s Voices of Asia gallery today (Friday) where the items are being shown as part an ongoing project looking at the…
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Hidden away, deep inside Temple Newsam House is a fantastically festive creation worthy of Santa’s most enterprising elves. The wonderful workshop will be the latest addition to the beautiful mansion’s spectacular 500 years of Christmas celebrations, which take place this Saturday and Sunday. Crafted entirely from leftover parts taken from previous exhibitions and installations,…
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For 125 years it was a melting pot of music, merriment and memories for the city’s Irish community. Now a miniature recreation of legendary Leeds pub The Roscoe is giving visitors to Leeds City Museum a chance to toast some of the many characters and stories that helped shape the venue’s colourful history. On…
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A dazzling reminder of a fascinating chapter in British industrial history, this beautiful tiara is truly fit for a Queen. Although not made of real precious metals and jewels, the tiara is no less prestigious, as it was once worn by the country’s very last reigning Cotton Queen. Elsie Kearsley, who was crowned in…
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A teenage soldier’s final letter home from the front lines of the First World War is going on display in Leeds ahead of Remembrance Sunday. Horace Iles was just 14 when he signed up to fight with the famous Leeds Pals in 1914, lying about his age so he could enlist, like many other…
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For a Yorkshireman returning home after the Second World War, it was tailor made to help him take his first sartorial steps back into civilian life. And a dapper demob suit from Leeds has also proved to be the perfect fit for a celebration of fabulous fashion at one of the world’s biggest arts…
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