stately homes

[albalass]

In Pride & Prejudice Miss Bennett and friends just show up at Darcy's stately home and get shown round by the housekeeper. Was this normal practice? Could people just arrive and get a tour of the house even if they weren't known to the owners?

[jno]

I think I read somewhere that it wasn't uncommon. Not just any old peasant, of course, but if respectable members of the middle and upper classes turned up they might get shown round and given a meal - after all they might have travelled for hours.

[Peter Pedant]

yes is the answer

There should be contemporary documents concerning the Duke of Wellington and Strafield Saye,
saying what a pain he was finding it all.

[Segilla]

If you can get hold of a copy of the DVD, one of the extra fearures incudes historical information. It was the custom for the housekeeper and butler to conduct visitors around - and they made a good living from tips.

[saxy_jag]

In P&P, the owners were somewhat familiar with the relatives of Elizabeth Bennett, the wife having been born and grown up in the nearby village. Also note that it was known that the owner and his party was away from home, so it would have been perfectly acceptable for well-mannered visitors to be shown around - which Elizabeth and her family certainly would have been. They were not rich, but were 'well-bred'.

[Mr Veritas]

It was common practice (right up until WW1) for the housekeeper (or Butler) of large & stately homes to show visitors around (for a fee/tip)
This was only done when the family were not "at home",and as such families had often many houses the opportunity for the housekeeper to make extra income was plentiful.
The Lord etc who owned these house knew that their staff "showed" the house to visitors,and the only requirement was the visitors were seen to be gentlemen/women.
Most owners were proud of their houses,and collections,and were only too glad to sjow them off, a kind of boasting about their wealth if you like.
In fact it was a well known pastime if you were staying in the country to be taken by friends to be shown around the local "big house" Rather similar (if you like) to visiting National Trust houses today?
Such was the income to be made from such "tours" that more than one housekeeper retired into a pretty cottage on the proceeds.
Of course some of the aristocracy frowned on the practise,and required their houses to be not shown,but even some of these houses WERE shown without their knowledge while they were away!