Trumpeters heralded a feast fit for a Queen when Elizabeth I visited Longleat House 450 years ago, marking a momentous occasion in the estate’s storied history. This summer, Longleat is celebrating the anniversary of that royal visit with a special exhibition showcasing original documents and artefacts from the time.
The Elizabethan mansion was still under construction when Queen Elizabeth I made Longleat a stop during one of her famous progresses around her kingdom. The visit was initially resisted by the mansion’s owner, Sir John Thynne, whose descendant, the 8th Marquess of Bath, continues to reside at Longleat.
Emma Challinor, Longleat’s archivist, reveals intriguing details about the historic visit. “When Longleat was included in the itinerary for the Queen’s 1574 progress through the West Country, Sir John appears to have not been entirely happy. Surviving records mention Longleat’s ‘unreadiness’ to host a royal visit, and he later reported that his household was laid low with a ‘sweating sickness’,” she said.
The Queen suspected that these might be excuses to avoid the massive expense and effort of hosting the royal entourage. Sir John faced stern interrogation through a letter from the Earl of Sussex but ultimately hosted the Queen for dinner on 2nd September 1574. Elizabeth later commended the ‘good cheer’ provided at Longleat.
The account books in Longleat’s archives give a vivid sense of the occasion, listing trumpeters, floral decorations, and an opulent feast including pheasants, partridges, guinea fowl, and larks, alongside the Queen’s favourite sweets, musk comfits. The pièce de résistance, however, was a jewel presented to the Queen by Sir John – a phoenix-shaped piece set with a massive emerald and encrusted with fifty diamonds and rubies, costing £140 at the time (approximately £45,000 today).
“The accounts for the purchase and the letter preserving the Queen’s favourable comment about this ‘great jewel’ also feature in the exhibition,” added Emma.
The exhibition, which includes Elizabeth’s signature on a letter sent to Sir John while she was still a princess, is part of the House tour and runs until 3rd November. Tickets are available at www.longleat.co.uk.
