In June 1858, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert embarked on a three day tour to Birmingham. Over the next few days I will be sharing her journals from throughout their trip before sharing an in-depth blog about her stay at Stoneleigh Abbey. I hope you enjoy!
“A very hot night, & intensely hot day. — Mama came to breakfast. Out in the garden, writing &c. —. At ½ p. 2 started from Euston’s station in a blazing heat, & it was awful in the train. The Dss of Atholl, Lds Abercorn & De la Warr, Mr Walpole, Horatia Stafford, Sir C. Phipps & the 2 Equerries were in attendance. Reached the country station at ½ p. 5. Enormous crowds all along the road, but we did not go through the town. The air was delicious, the country so green & the trees so fine. A ¾ of an hour’s slow drive brought us to the old gateway & entrance to the Park of Stoneleigh Abbey, which is very large & fine with magnificent old oak trees, hundreds of years old. One passes through another gateway, which is in the old Abbey, just opposite the five new house, with a Terrace garden, the river Avon flowing in front & a splendid background of trees. We were received by Ld & Ly Leigh, the Dss of Sutherland, the Westminsters, & Dowr Lady Leigh, then in the Hall, we met the Macclesfields, Wenlocks, Sir M. & Ly O. Stewart, Ly Agnes Grosvenor, Sir A. Campbell, Ly Say & Sele & husband, Mrs Adderley & husband, Miss Leigh, Ly De la Warr & daughter, Lord Dalkeith, &c. —. After remaining a few minutes in the Drawingroom, we were taken to our charming rooms, beautifully furnished & decorated, consisting of a little anteroom, sitting room, dressing room, a large Bedroom, which opens with Albert’s dressing room. The views over the river quite charming & the air coming in at the windows, so refreshing & cool. Stoneleigh Abbey is a very ancient possession, dating from the time of Henry IInd. The oldest parts forming 3 sides of a quadrangle, were built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, upon the site of the old Abbey. Henry IInd founded the Abbey in 1154 for a community of Cistercian monks. The present house is about 150 years old. — We dined after 8, with all those already named. Sat between Ld Leigh & Ld Abercorn. Everything very handsome & well done, & all betokens wealth. A glorious evening, — daylight till 9. Ly Leigh & her sisters, looked & are so nice. Mad the acquaintance of Miss Nightingale’s friends, Mr & Mrs Brambridge, who were always with her, in the Crimea & at Constantinople, — most excellent, worthy people. The old Gateway was beautifully illuminated, also the front of the house, & we stepped out after 11, to look at the illuminations, walking round the small garden, immensely cheered by large crowds. A beautiful cool night. Ld Leigh very pleasant & amiable & so civil & attentive.”
Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow!
I hope you have enjoyed todays journal entry. Please feel free to leave any questions in the comments section below or message me on Instagram and I will do my best to help. You can also support my research by visiting and subscribing to my Ko-fi page. Don’t forget, you can also subscribe to by blog for email updates about new blogs! Thank you again, Shannon x
http://www.queenvictoriasjournals.org/
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2012 © Bodleian Libraries © ProQuest
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