Malta Regency Weekend 2016 - Part 2

On the Saturday night we had a ball in the Chamber of Commerce. A lovely old building in the centre of the city. Here are some photos of the evening.

On Sunday we spent a lovely day at the President or Prime Minister's (can't remember which one!) summer home. It was a beautiful old house which used to belong to one of the original Knights of Malta.

Below are a few photos of the rooms

Relaxing in the Drawing Room

Admiring the paintings. :)

The Ballroom

During part of the Napoleonic wars Malta was occupied by the French. In to the floor of the ballroom, french officers carved two chess or drafts boards (not sure which they are). The floor has been re-tiled since then, but the two boards remain.

The rather breathtaking stairwell (this photo no way near does it justice)

The gardens

We had a lovely sunny afternoon enjoying the house and grounds. There were also archery and watercolour classes. Not being much of an artist, and thoroughly enjoying the archery class I took at JAF last September, I decided to turn my hand to archery once again. However, apparently I seemed to have lost any talent I had for the sport (at JAF I came second in the class competition - which I am now thinking was pure fluke!! :) ). This time I was awful at it, and managed to get a giant bruise on my arm in a place that is apparently really hard to bruise whilst doing archery!! The instructor was completely baffled about by how I managed to to do it!! Still enjoyed attempting to do archery! :) 

A traditional Maltese farmer's tool shed, in the grounds

We had a lovely tea on the terrace. :)

Overall I had a wonderful time in Malta. It was lovely to spend a few days sightseeing and then rounding it off with a regency weekend. I would love to go back though as there is so much more to see. :)

Malta Regency Weekend 2016

In April I spent a lovely week in Malta with some friends. It is somewhere I have wanted to visit for a while, mainly because my father was born there and my grandmother talks about there time there quite a bit.  We spent most of our time in the city of Valletta. 

The Grand Harbour

A very picturesque street

Georgian playing card stamps

We wondered around quite a few lovely museums. In one we found a sedan chair which rather suited Zack's outfit. :)

Meditating in the garden

Taking a boat across the Grand Harbour

Another view of the Grand Harbour

Old Mint Street - the steepest street in Valletta. 

Next - Regency Malta :)

Regency Picnic at Mompesson House

This post is unfortunately evidence of how appalling I have become at posting! It seems to be a talent of mine!! I can't even remember when this event was, though for some reason September is coming to mind, so September it shall be.

So back in September :) , Mompesson House (National Trust) in Salisbury, put on an exhibition of artefacts from the 95 version of Sense and Sensibility. It was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the film, as the house was used as Mrs Jenning's London residence. For the opening weekend the NT invited a local regency group to have a picnic in the garden. A few friends are in the group so I was invited to join. 

Compared to most National Trust properties, Mompesson is on the small side, and has a relatively small garden. It's really just a lawn, but a decent sized one. So we arrived with our food and lawn games and took over the garden for a lovely afternoon of eating, game playing, dancing and chatting.

Unfortunately I didn't end up taking many photos of the picnic as we were trying to be as historically accurate as possible for the public.

One of the picnic tables. Everyone (except me!) bought baskets full of amazing regency food.

An delicious flummery . I made an eighteenth century version of a cheesecake for the occasion, but of course left it at home!! :)

A few fellow picnickers playing a game of Battledore.

At one point in the afternoon I escaped into the house to view the exhibition. I have been around the house before so my photos mainly concentrate on the costumes and artefacts from the film.

Colonel Brandon in the Drawing Room (So sad about Alan Rickman)

Tea caddies!! There were a few gorgeous items around the house that were too just pretty not to take a photo of. :)

Coffee set, but still pretty. :)

One of Elinor's ball gown's

Underclothes, which I think are Victorian. (Not entirely sure why they were part of the exhibition. Maybe they are on display all year round).

One of Marianne's outfits  

Mrs Jenning's bonnet

An embroidered handkerchief of Edward's. Sadly I don't think it was the original one he gave to Elinor.

Fanny Dashwood's bonnet

The rest of the photos are of a few original Regency items that the house owns.

Would love this fan.