Dear wonderful readers,
Summer at Mapperton is in full, glorious swing: cameras rolling, projects taking shape, and one rather memorable evening spent in the company of another Countess. There is a great deal to catch you up on this month, so let’s get to it.
In this newsletter, you’ll find:
A bit about our trip to Disney!
A conversation with the Countess of Derby
Dinners of Diplomacy
Coltleigh Hill House takes shape
A brand-new wedding film
The scarves go on sale!
Let’s get into it.
Over in California, Luke had the great honour of cutting the ribbon on the enormous new Earl of Sandwich restaurant at Disneyland, standing alongside none other than Mickey Mouse (and the biggest pair of scissors you have ever seen!).
Here’s a fun one for you: Luke’s sandwich of choice is pastrami on rye, a world away from the humble roast beef between two slices that the fourth Earl is said to have started it all with.
No wonder he married an American!
Last week Julie sat down, live, with Lady Derby (Cazzy, the Countess of Derby) for a conversation about one of history’s most misunderstood figures: General Cornwallis. Nearly a hundred of you joined on the night, and the chemistry between the two of them was a joy to watch!
Lady Derby is a direct descendant of Cornwallis, and she has made it her mission to reframe a reputation that history has treated rather unfairly. She shared some genuinely new research: fresh detail about the illness that gripped Cornwallis at the surrender at Yorktown, and the story of a private meeting with George Washington, a moment that speaks volumes about diplomacy and civility once the fighting is done.
The conversation ranged far and wide, from the truly global nature of the American Revolutionary War, to the role of the French, to the delicate business of handing over power.
The audience questions at the end were wonderful too, drawing out Cornwallis’s career, the wider context of the war and what all of it can still teach us about reconciliation and truth.
If you would like to watch the whole conversation, the replay is waiting for you over on Patreon.
Lady Derby also shared news of her upcoming event, Dinners of Diplomacy, which carries these themes further with a wonderful line-up of expert speakers.
If you can’t be there in person, the Two-Day Digital Delegate Pass brings the whole thing to you: every expert session streamed live, a live Q&A, a sixty-day replay, a digital archive pack and a certificate to round it all off. Early-bird pricing runs until 1 September, so do book soon if you’re tempted.
And if Lady Derby has sparked your curiosity, her two beautiful travel journals are available now:
A Grand Tour Journal (1820–1822):
A North American Tour Journal (1824–1825):
You’ll find all of her work here:
Our latest renovation is well under way. Malcolm (everyone’s favourite) came down last week to measure up, and he’s back at Mapperton tomorrow with all his designs, drawings and paint colours.
There’s also a flat connected to the main house, and I’m taking one of its rooms back into the house to become my new textile room: a proper home for all the treasures we’ve unearthed over the years, those exquisite 18th-century dresses (including some of Alberta’s), military uniforms and more, all carefully boxed. What becomes of the rest of the flat is still to be decided.
Every step, of course, is being filmed for our YouTube channel, so do subscribe (or become a patron!) to see the paint colours Malcolm chooses.
A little something for the romantics: if you have ever dreamed of getting married at Mapperton, you may not know that we host around twenty weddings a year.
We filmed our very first wedding video during lockdown, when we’d lost all our visitor income, and though we will always be fond of it, it was looking a touch dated. So we have filmed a brand-new one, and yes, Julie is in it!
We can’t wait to show you.
The moment so many of you have been waiting for is nearly here: our Rory Hutton x Mapperton silk scarves go on sale on Monday 10th August.
Woven with the peacocks, eagles and Rococo scrollwork from the house, this is a very limited run, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Do make sure you’re on the waitlist so you’re first to know.
As ever, thank you for being part of the Mapperton Live! community. Whether you visit in person or follow along from afar, your support sustains this work in ways both large and small.
With appreciation,
Luke & Julie xx
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