Lady Rockingham's Mantua

Continuing our research about the women of Wentworth Woodhouse, this video takes a look at an amazing piece of clothing made for the Second Marchioness of Rockingham.
We're incredibly lucky that the dress has survived and luckier still that it's possible to see it on display at Kensington Palace in London, until 29th October 2023 as part of the Crown to Couture exhibition. www.hrp.org.uk...
And if you're interested in costume and can visit the House, don't miss our On Location costume exhibition: wentworthwoodh...
From September 19th until 5th November, this fascinating exhibition will showcase costumes worn in films and TV productions that were made at Wentworth Woodhouse, including Gentleman Jack, Victoria and Downton Abbey.

[@dianeleahy3345]

Fabulous information, as always. Thankyou wentworth wood house.

[@OfficialWentworthWoodhouse]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stephenburns3678]

Thank you

[@OfficialWentworthWoodhouse]

Thank you for watching!

[@joanellemulrain2454]

❤ Saved! Wonderful history of a magnificent dress!

[@TheBlondeSunset]

So interesting!

[@angelabby2379]

4:35 Lord Stormont

[@angelafoxmusic7265]

Imagine the drama getting into a carriage...

[@OfficialWentworthWoodhouse]

Absolutely! No easy task :-)

[@dianapatterson1559]

Dresses with that spread were pretty common in the 1740s, not the 1760s. So consider another occasion.

[@debsmith427]

Hi- I'm the researcher for the video. You're absolutely right: dresses like these were not commonly worn in the period, but these are court dresses. Different rules apply. I guess film stars of today wear equally outrageous dresses for their red carpet premieres. There are other surviving mantuas from the period ( there's an even wider one in the Victoria and Albert Museum!)- many of them date from 1755-65. Lady Rockingham, although a fashionable dresser, was more interested in politics etc. In over 200 letters from her to her husband , we've only found one mention of a dress so far in her collection of letters. It was a special dress. And other evidence within the letter suggests strongly that she wrote it in Spring 1762. What occasion she wore it on is my educated guess!

[@val_nightlily]

@@debsmith427 Thanks for this. Has it been determined from the dress what size and height Lady Rockingham was?

[@debsmith427]

​@val_nightlily A question for the Conservators at Kensington Palace! The wide skirts were certainly designed to create a very slim silhouette front to back and the appearance of a tiny waist. Having occasionally worn period costume requiring bustles and paniers myself, I still can't work out how she moved around in the Mantua - and dancing in it? Astonishing.

[@angelabby2379]

@@debsmith427 i saw Marie Antoinette 2005 movie, she danced in similar looking mantua

[@debsmith427]

@@angelabby2379 I've just created an illustration of Lady Rockingham and her mantua in action 😀. Sadly I can't share it in the comments section, but look out for it in the court scene in "Rockingham and the Boston Tea Party" due out mid- December.