National Trust Leicester Association

TODAY VIRTUALLY every house has a sofa in the room where the family relaxes or socialises in comfort. Whilst even the Romans had comfortable seating these were a basic form of chaise longue with only one armrest. Sofas first appeared in the early 1600’s and were originally called “saffaw”.

The oldest sofa in a National Trust property is an upholstered couch dated from 1635, which can be seen at Knole, a stately home in Kent. It was made in a London workshop by an unknown craftsman. It has a Beech frame covered with silk velvet and has decorative braid and fringing. The two end arms are hinged and can be laid down level with the seat. Overall the sofa is almost 6’ 0‘’ long.The design was influenced by furniture from Italy and France and this sofa was originally made for use in the Stuart royal palaces and was part of a grand suite of furniture that included two other sofa’s, six chairs and eight stools.

At Kedleston Hall near Derby there are a pair of George lll giltwood sofas on display which were made in London in 1765 by John Linnell. They feature languid mermaids and sea-gods on the gilded wooden frame. At Calke Abbey near Ashby de la Zouch there are sofas in a number of rooms all dating from the early 1800’s. By complete contrast the sofa at Stoneywell Cottage is leather covered from the mid 1930’s and is probably mass produced.

• THE NT LEICESTER ASSOCIATION has an evening meeting on Tuesday 14th February at The Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm, when Dr Ann Featherstone will present an illustrated talk entitled “Maidens, Murders & Monsters – Victorian Melodrama”

• THERE WILL ALSO BE an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 22nd February when Wendy Martin will present a talk entitled “Barnard Castle to Berwick – Travels in the North”. The meeting will be held at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester at 2.30pm.

Admission to meetings is NTLA members £3.00, visitors £4.00, including refreshments.

For details of the NT Leicester Association please call 0116 2229133 or visit our web site at www.leicesternt.com

Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer

On my first day of school, my parents dropped me at the wrong nursery. There I was.. surrounded by bushes and trees.