The Washerwoman

Tuesday 27 December 2011

The Vintage Bazaar comes to Hampshire!



 Clare and I are pleased to announce The Vintage Bazaar at Hartley Wintney! This beautiful building is a lovely combination of the old and the new coming together to provide an ideal situation for our fair.


 The Victoria Hall was designed in the late 1890's by TE Collcutt at the height of his career. The building ran over budget, but the day was saved by the generosity of Mr Kenwood, Sir Henry Mildmay and Lord Calthorpe. The building was completed and opened by Lady Calthorpe on October 20th 1898 to much acclaim.




The exterior is a pleasing example of The Arts and Crafts style. Inside the structure has a spacious and modern feel which is a result of restoration in the late 1990's.



 Below, you can see the doors which lead into The Victoria Hall, the leaded windows would originally have been on the outside. The space is divided into different areas, which is an obvious change from our fair at the Cheese and Grain in Frome. More to be announced on the Vintage Bazaar blog very soon.



The Vintage Bazaar
At the Victoria Hall
West Green Road
Hartley Wintney
Hampshire RG27 8RE

Saturday 22nd September 2012
10 am to 3 pm

Admission £1

Saturday 24 December 2011

Merry Christmas everybody!


Just stopping by to say a heartfelt Merry Christmas to all my readers, friends, followers and loyal customers at all the fairs! I hope you have a wonderful time at Christmas, and all the very best for the year ahead! Lizzie xx

Thursday 15 December 2011

Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham.


Recently I had a lovely day out visiting this wonderful house. It is somewhere that I have wanted to visit for several years now. Built by Horace Walpole in the mid-eighteenth century. You can learn all about it here.


The tour started outside the house. Our group stood shivering whilst admiring the Gothic Revival facade, but anxious to get inside!


Once inside we were able to inspect the many beautiful stained glass windows, many of the panels came from the continent.


One of my favourite parts was the hallway and staircase with its incredible carved bannister... and the beautiful stained glass lamp which spread a gloomy sort of light down though the stairwell. Note how the walls are "patchy" as a result of ongoing painstaking restoration to expose the original underneath.


The contrast of light and darkness is deliberate as Horace Walpole wanted to create a gloomy atmosphere of medieval castles and coined the word "Gloomth" to describe this.



The rooms leading from the hallway are cosy and domestic in their proportions. Most of the windows have their original amazing sliding shutters and beautiful fireplaces.....


Sadly, there are few original furnishings, pictures or mirrors as the contents of the house were sold off in the Great Sale of 1842 when one of Walpole's descendants sold everything to pay his debts.





Where you see plain glass in the windows means that the original has been lost.


The final room of the tour was the large Gallery which was a real contrast. Opulent and grand in comparison to the smaller rooms.


This is the ceiling of The Round room which was quite stunning. Do visit Strawberry Hill House if you get the chance. It really is a treat!

Saturday 3 December 2011

Dreweatts Auction. Put the date in your Vintage Diary!


The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. The phone has not stopped ringing and I have been driving miles to view and collect beautiful and stylish items for the Dreweatts Vintage Fashion and Textiles Auction which is due to take place in Spring 2012. Flossie (my french mannequin) is wearing one of the many vintage cashmere jumpers that will be in the sale. Teamed with a vintage silk scarf and jaunty 70's wool beret.


 We have stunning leather bags.... vintage perfume (some bottles are half full)... or half empty, depending on how you look at it!



 Oodles of shoes....... in all styles and colours and decades....


Labels include Ferragamo, Rayne (of London), Harrods, Dior and more.....







 Vintage Dior stockings in their original boxes....



If the fashion accessories have got you excited, just wait until you see the dresses, coats and Textiles!!!