YGS Lecture: Senses and sensibilities: experiencing the drawing room in the Georgian country house

Join us on Saturday 13 March 2027 when we will be joined by Professor John Stobart, who will give a lecture on experiences of the country house drawing room in the Georgian period.

Visiting country houses today is essentially a visual experience: we might taste a scone in the tea shop, but there are constant reminders not to touch and conversations take place in hushed tones. Things were very different for contemporary visitors, especially given the heightened sensibilities around the turn of the nineteenth century. To talk of an immersive experience is anachronistic, but the country house certainly engaged all the senses. This talk will draw on a wide range of first-hand accounts to explore how Georgians enjoyed or endured an evening in a country house drawing room. From first impressions of colourful hangings and family portraits, through the comfort of upholstered sofas and the buzz of conversation, to the…