October 2009
Lord Bath Makes Royal Presentation
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Lord Bath presents the Phoenix to Queen Elizabeth |
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As Longleat House celebrates its sixtieth year of opening to the public, it is time for celebrations of a different sort as Lord Bath makes a royal presentation to Elizabeth I.
This much-recognised royal guest has been gracing Longleat House over the summer as she has welcomed visitors into the House and explained what it would have been like to be a member of Elizabeth I’s court.
Thankfully her visits have proven much more popular this time round as her initial visit in September 1574 was most unwelcome - John Thynne, the ‘Builder’ of Longleat House, tried to put her off with threats of a deadly disease as the visit would cost him too much money what with hosting the Queen as well as her 300 members of staff! The threat came to nothing however as she did visit, allegedly dined in the Great Hall and was greatly pleased by what she saw.
In addition to the cost of hosting such vast numbers, John Thynne also had commissioned a gift, a jewel called a ‘phoenix’, in honour of her visit
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Elizabeth I displays her Phoenix Jewel |
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and in recognition of her fondness for the immortal bird. It was set with one great emerald and other diamonds and rubies (“one Jewell callid phenix sett with one great Emradd and other dyamondes and Rubies with an appendant peril”).
This October, over 400 years after her original visit, Lord Bath – Alexander Thynn – presented Elizabeth I with a modern phoenix (still with emeralds, diamonds and rubies although sadly not real this time!) which have been crafted by international, celebrity jeweller Tom McKewan who is based in Frome.
Elizabeth I will be starring with the replica phoenix at Longleat House from Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November (excluding Friday 30th October as she has a prior royal engagement)!
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