Inside my most CHAOTIC day EVER at Mapperton
...and I caught THAT bug
Dear lovely friends!
Well, what a stretch it has been! I’ve spent dawn-til-dusk days in one of the most beautiful gardens in the country with soil under my nails, celebrated a garden seven years in the making, stood in front of the most breathtaking royal clothes I’ve ever seen, and somehow packed more into a single Wednesday than feels entirely reasonable. Pour yourself something and settle in…there’s a lot to share!
In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:
· The Rory Hutton x Mapperton collection
· A little book reminder
· My apprenticeship at Newby Hall
· Inside Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe
· A historic houses weekend in Wiltshire
· A certain series…
· My most chaotic day yet
· Another marathon?!
Let’s dive in!
The Rory Hutton x Mapperton collection is here!
I teased this last time, and now I can finally share it: we’re working with the award-winning designer Rory Hutton on a strictly limited-edition silk scarf and pocket square, with every penny raised going towards the restoration of the West Room!
Tudor overmantel, mullion windows, Georgian sash windows. It’s one of Mapperton’s most loved spaces, and one in urgent need of renovation.
This is the new ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ in which you get something beautiful back!
Rory hand-illustrates and then lino cuts each design in his studio before it’s printed onto silk by artisans in Italy, and for this collection he’s woven the iconic heritage of Mapperton into something truly collectible. What’s on it so far…. the 18th Century Eagles of course, the Peacock from the 18th century tapestry, my frill swim cap and so much more plus a surprise motif that I’m making myself (under Rory’s instruction) later this week! He’s worked with the Royal Collection Trust, the V&A, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey and The King at Highgrove—so you can imagine how special this is.
Here are a couple examples of his work:
The scarf is £200, the pocket square £100, or both together for £260. It’s a strictly limited run! Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Join the waitlist to see the design before anyone else and be first to pre-order.
And while I have you…the book!
A quick update! The pre-orders for Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton continue to mean the world to me, and—as I shared last time—they’re the very reason I’ve just signed for a second book.
If you’ve been meaning to order, now really is a wonderful moment.
I was an apprentice!
Last time I told you I was off to Newby Hall and Gardens in my boiler suit, with a Thursday surprise I was saving.
Here it is: I spent the week there on what was, in essence, an apprenticeship, and it was every bit as exceptional as I’d hoped.
Lucinda and Richard Compton could not have been more generous, putting me up in the Hall itself—a glorious Christopher Wren and Robert Adam house, filled with extraordinary Chippendale furniture.
My days began at 8am in the gardens with the head gardener, Lawrence, and his team. I learned how to garden properly—my knowledge of weeds, in particular, has expanded no end!—and helped prepare for the reopening of the Edwardian rock garden, built by Richard’s great-great-grandfather. Tea breaks in the mess room with the whole team were some of my favourite moments of all.
I’m now managing Mapperton’s Italianate formal gardens, so I came home with a head full of ideas I can’t wait to put into practice.
And the reason for all that preparation: the rock garden’s grand reopening, seven years in the making—nine, if you count two years of Covid. The night before, we had a small dinner in Newby’s gorgeous orangery: lobster, salmon and beef, my idea of surf and turf, with the very best conversation. Lawrence, it turns out, is not only a brilliant head gardener but a gifted florist too, and his flowers on the table were simply incredible.
The next day was the proper celebration. It was a reception with canapés in the statue gallery for some 100 to 150 guests: journalists, friends of the Comptons, and well-wishers who’d come from far and wide. Gyles Brandreth did the honours, cutting the garland to officially reopen the rock garden. Plus, Stephane Jarvis and Philip from Chateau Diaries were there as well and before you ask: of course we filmed together for our respective YouTube channels!
What a week!
I saw the Queen’s clothes!
And straight after that week, I spent a morning at the King’s Gallery for Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, and I’m still thinking about it. Even with a booked ticket there was a queue out of the door, and the moment I stepped inside I understood exactly why.
The Royal Christening Robe, commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 and worn by every royal baby for 130 years. Norman Hartnell’s wedding dress, with its thirteen-foot train inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera. The coronation dress, embroidered with the floral emblems of every nation over which she reigned. I stood in front of each one rather overcome.
I’ve written all about it over on my Substack—do go and read it, and then get yourself a ticket. The exhibition has been so popular it’s been extended all the way to April 2027.
A historic houses weekend in Wiltshire
Luke and I then headed to Wiltshire, where we stayed at the Hall in Bradford on Avon, which is a stunning Jacobean mansion built between 1610 and 1620, in what must be one of the most beautiful Georgian towns in the country.
We were there for our regional Historic Houses AGM (Luke sits on the Wessex committee), hosted this year at Belcombe Court, a grade-one-listed Georgian house set in 60 acres of formal gardens. We had dinner the evening before at Iford Manor and Gardens, which is one of the very first gardens I ever filmed for my American Countess YouTube channel, five years ago now.
How time flies!
There’s nothing quite like gathering with other historic house owners and custodians to compare notes on what’s going well this year, and what perhaps isn’t.
A certain series… (I can’t say much!)
I HAVE to be brief here: there’s a second season of a certain series we were part of last year, and we’ll be part of it again this year. I had a wonderful creative call with the team, and filming begins imminently.
I think you can probably guess…but my lips are sealed for now!
My most chaotic day yet
And then there was Wednesday, which was possibly the busiest day I’ve ever had at Mapperton.
Back-to-back meetings from half past eight: our filmmaker David, the builder helping me renovate the flat connected to the main house, the full team meeting, the kitchen garden, the formal gardens, social media and YouTube…
By ten to two I had precisely ten minutes to grab a salad and walk outside, bowl and fork in hand, to meet the Financial Times photographer.
There’s an article on the way, and when I admitted I’m not terribly good at dressing elegantly—you’ll usually find me in my red boiler suit—they simply said, “Wonderful, let’s do the red boiler suit.” So that’s exactly what we did!
After that came a wedding meeting, then filming in the Coach House Café kitchen with Christine, turning our kitchen garden produce into recipes, and finally a five o’clock meeting about a big project Luke and I are working on that I can’t breathe a word of yet…though some of you will find out soon.
The rest of the week was, in a word, filming. Lots and lots of filming.
Another marathon?!
I can hardly believe I’m typing this, but Emma, Jack, and I entered the ballot for the Copenhagen Marathon in 2027…
…and we’re in!
Yep, I’ve 100% caught the marathon bug.
So it’s Amsterdam this October, and now Copenhagen next May.
I’m not entirely sure what I’ve signed myself up for, but somehow that first accidental marathon in Florence got under my skin, and it seems running is in my blood now. We’ll see how long that lasts…
Thank you, as ever, for being here, for every pre-order, every kind note, every click. It truly does move the needle, and it’s what lets me keep sharing all of this with you. I feel very lucky indeed.
With love and gratitude,
xxJulie
Wonderful news Julie on everything happening all at once!