I ACCIDENTALLY ran a whole marathon!

...the whole, chaotic story inside!

Dear wonderful readers,

The last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind, and I’m writing this newsletter with a grateful heart (and rather tired legs…more on that later). It has been one of those months where everything seems to happen at once, from restoration work and filming to talks, travel, and the most extraordinary family adventure in Florence.

Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.

• A busy month at Mapperton: Japanese screens update, kitchen garden overhaul, and Alberta’s ‘House of Worth’ dress in Country Life

• The US Ambassador’s dinner at Guildhall

• Nestor’s first appearance on my YouTube channel

• The extraordinary story of my accidental marathon in Florence

• A major new Patreon-only project focused on legacy and preservation

Here we go….

Restoration, Research, and Winter Work in the Garden

It’s been a wonderfully busy period at Mapperton. Thanks to so many of you who donated, we said ‘see you later’ to the Japanese screens. They’re now safely in their temporary home, being lovingly conserved by the experts, and I’ll be showing you more of them very soon. We are ‘oh so close’ to the hitting the fundraising goal! You all have been so instrumental in making sure that these special, historical pieces are preserved for future generations so if you’re keen to a part of this restoration story, you can buy the screens a coffee here.

We’ve also been hard at work in the kitchen garden, where we have begun a major overhaul. New compost bins have been built and a rather large (30 foot!) polytunnel is being delivered today. We are trying to create a productive, beautiful, nature-led space that: supports the Coach House café and events, boosts wildlife and soil health, fits with the Wildlands ethos and still feels lovely and inspiring for visitors.

There was also a very special moment for Alberta’s House of Worth dress: the Country Life photo shoot for their “Treasures” feature. The piece will be published soon, and I can’t wait for you to see how beautifully they’ve captured its story.

And speaking of Alberta and the era she witnessed, I’ve just written about The Edwardians exhibition at Buckingham Palace: think Alexandra’s glittering gold coronation dress, a Fabergé cigarette case from a royal love story, and the tiara that ended up on our coins. For fellow Gilded Age obsessives, this one is a treat. Have a read over on my Gilded Heiresses substack!

And in the midst of everything, I met with several wonderful colleagues from the V&A, as I’ll be giving a major talk there in March 2026. It will take place in the evening for a live audience of around 250 people, with an online option available as well. More details to come — but it’s going to be a very special event.

A Night with the U.S. Ambassador

Another highlight was the US Ambassador’s dinner at Guildhall!

It was a spectacular evening held in one of London’s most historic settings. It was an honour to attend, and celebrate the special relationship between the US and UK. Plus, it was a chance to get dressed up! Luke in black tie and I wore a 10-year old Reiss dress topped with an Alaia jacket found at the Frock Me Vintage Fair the previous week. You know how much I love to up-cycle!

Italy, Snow, Sea…

I then dashed to Italy to visit Nestor on his gap year. He’s been staying at my Little Italian House, and we had the best time! We had snow in the hills, a walk by the sea, flea-market rummaging, and plenty of pasta.

There’s a vlog now live on my Julie in Italy YouTube channel with Nestor’s first-ever appearance. He even starred in my ‘Pretend Italian Cooking Show’. Do give it a watch if you haven’t seen it yet.

My Accidental Marathon

And then…Florence. AHHHHH!!! Get ready for story time!

So, here’s the breakdown of what actually happened.

The plan was to run a 10k striving for a PB (personal best) and then cheer on Emma and Jack who WERE actually running the marathon. I queued for what I thought was the correct starting pen (having confirmed in Italian!). A helpful fellow runner pushed my pace a bit, and I hit 10k in 52 minutes — a personal best — but we were nowhere near the Duomo (where both the 10k and marathon were to end).

It wasn’t the 10k at all.
It was the marathon!

I had no gels, no water, no carb loading… and all I’d had for breakfast was Emma’s leftover oats and a coffee. At 14km I finally asked what was happening, and my accidental running partner simply said, “This is the marathon race.”

At this point, I decided to keep going until 21k (half marathon) as that had always been a goal of mine. Thank goodness the pit stops — every 5km — were filled with salt water, hot tea, bananas, fruit, cake and water. Without those fuels, I wouldn’t have been able to continue. But I did. A bit more. Then a bit more… By 30km in, my body was rather tired but I kept going. And by the time I somehow made it to 40km the crowds were shouting “Dai, dai, dai, Julie!” and something in me shifted. I knew I could finish.

The moment that will stay with me forever: hearing Jack, Emma, and Nestor screaming my name (Let’s Go MOM!) at the barriers. Nestor jumped the fence, put his arm around me, and ran the final stretch with me. I crossed the line sobbing, in total disbelief, with a medal around my neck.

The family times, for the record:

• Jack: 3:21 (he was striving for 3:30! - WOW Jack!)

• Emma: 3:54 (wanted under 4:20! - Amazing Emma!)

• Me: 5:05 — for a marathon I didn’t mean to run!

It was wild, emotional, chaotic, unforgettable…and one of the most memorable days of my life. I’m still tearing up as I type this!

A Brand-New Project for Patrons Only

And lastly, this month we also launched something very big and very special over on Patreon: a project that explores legacy, preservation, and the living history behind the houses and stories we share.

It is something we’ve been quietly working on for months, and it belongs first and foremost to the patrons who make so much of this work possible.

Patrons now have exclusive early access, and they’ll be helping to shape it over the coming weeks. It won’t be released to the wider public until the new year, and we are deeply grateful for the support that allows projects like this to exist.

If you’d like to join us — and be part of the early stages of this new chapter — you can become a Patron today.

Thankful!

Thank you, as always, for reading, watching, and supporting everything we do — from the quiet restoration work to the big public moments to the unexpected adventures (planned or otherwise!).

Wishing you a peaceful start to December,
Xx Julie