We went down to Hamilton the other day and visited Dundurn Castle. Well, we went to watch a play later in the evening at Redeemer College but we drove in early with my husband's wonderful professor and his wife who wanted to show us a little of Hamilton. It was a treat! The castle has been restored to what it most likely looked like in 1885 and it is such a beautiful place. 38 rooms on three floors and you can get guided tour. It's like walking onto the sets of a period film! Everything set out like it would have been while the family lived there... it was wonderful!
There were three quilts that I saw in the rooms but I only got pictures that I can show of two. The light was not very good in the castle so a lot of the pictures are not terribly clear. The nine-patch quilt above was place in the butlers room. I am not sure if these are recreations or quilts from that very time. The articles in the house were auctioned off at one time and when the government wanted to restore the house and make it a museum they had to trace these items and bring them back. So I don't know what the story of this quilt is.
Needlework by Jane Elliot, one of the daughters of MacNab.
This quilt the guide says is the real deal! From the 19th Century. I hope he's right 'coz I got mighty excited about it! :) Well, he seems like a good historian so I don't think he would make it up. The quilt was in the cook's room. Again, not sure if it was specifically used by the cook or a hand me down. I did notice however that the bedrooms on the top floors did not have quilts but blankets.
It was really wonderful to have been able to do this tour. And I always get very excited when I see an old quilt. I wonder who slept under it. What tears were cried into it. What dreams are woven into its patchwork.
Hi Carol, I came across your lovely blog in my search for quilting classes in Bangalore. Savita at BuDa folklore told me that you would be able to give me information on classes in Bangalore. Please help. :)
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