To hate stately homes and castles now?

[Allsorts1]

When I was younger I would love visiting stately homes, gardens and castles with my parents - learning about all the history and the inhabitants and generally imagining myself to be a princess lol.

Now when I go to these places I just feel a bit eye rolly and bitter, thinking about how corrupt and awful the aristocratic system must have been and how I’m so happy to not be living in that time. I find myself not particularly interested in the history of it as it’s usually “very rich person gifted a large parcel of land by some other landed gentry, blah blah blah”

Like yes, I can see that in some ways as a culture we did need concentrated wealth to create these beautiful buildings in the first place, but I’m very glad that this system has been dismantled now.

Just wondering if anyone else is bothered by conflicted feelings when visiting stately homes?

I used to love stately homes, until I worked for the NT. They mould and shape the narrative of the property to suit their latest agenda and sanitise history.

Is this just another "Let's slag off the history of the UK" post because you haven't said where you're from Allsorts1 and there isn't a country on this planet with a "clean" past

Far from being dismantled, I'd say it's considerably worse now, except the billionaires upon whose whim millions of lives depend keep their money offshore and waste it on spaceships and NFTs instead of building schools, hospitals and churches.

We still have people working unholy hours in unsustainable conditions with no contract, people working two jobs and STILL needing foodbanks, slavery, indentured labour, near-slavery in the clothing trade, parents unable to feed their children, slum landlords - and that's just in the UK.

At least on a big estate your home and job were secured and in theory, the people at the top were encouraged by the system to feel a sense of responsibility for their country and people (noblesse oblige) which is a bit dubious, admittedly, but very far from the minds of any of the billionaires who steal their employees' pension funds and buy yachts with it, and inexplicably don't spend the rest of their lives in prison.

The people at the top were supposed to sit in the house of lords, contribute and participate. Now they just steal and abuse.

I'm surprised you preferred them as a younger person to now. I found them dull as a child but absolutely love a stately home or castle now I'm older, especially if there's a lovely cafe!

It is not about "slagging off the history of the Uk", but about being honest about the history, and not hiding aspects of it, that people do not want to hear.

I am an Estate Manager, so manage these huge estates for a living. They very much haven’t been dismantled, it’s very much alive and thriving.

@CityMumma78

Get a grip! Learn from history and respect the heritage we are lucky to have in this country. Times have changed for the better and improvement’s are ongoing.

This!

@astoundedgoat these are excellent helpful points! As I said, I’m conflicted in that I definitely want the homes/castles to be there and find them beautiful. I often ponder the fact that without that system that put wealth in the hands of the few, they wouldn’t exist at all.

I think it’s more the disparity between my personal childhood romantic view and my adult self.

In terms of the rich these days, I guess in a “meritocracy” where anyone can be rich with enough “grit and determination” (can you tell I’m sceptical) the duty element dissipates.

But you do still see a sense of duty between countries, as the limited mobility/clear unfair starting points is more clear.

That reflects a paternalistic strain in geopolitics which has many problematic elements, and yee olde nobility shared that same paternalistic view of the general population - I’m not sure that’s to be admired or that they should get much kudos for it.

They very much haven’t been dismantled, it’s very much alive and thriving.

yep

I enjoy the attention to detail and showcasing of heritage crafts that you often find in stately homes or ecclesiastical buildings. I like to think that the trades people who made them were passionate about their craft and took pride in their part. Largely thanks to these places, those crafts are kept alive today.
Having said this, DW and I went on a tour around the private apartments at Blenheim Palace during which the we tour guide kept mentioning how fortunate we were and how we were walking in the footsteps of important people in history....that really got my back up. We are all important people and our entrance fees are keeping these families in their stately homes! Since then I only like visiting places that are owned by National Trust or similar.

@CityMumma78

Get a grip! Learn from history and respect the heritage we are lucky to have in this country. Times have changed for the better and improvement’s are ongoing.

Calm down. The OP isn't trying to take away privilege from anyone. No need to be all defensive.

We learn from history as we find out the truth about the past.

@elbea yes I think as an adult because I’m gaining experience of these circles it’s completely changed my view - the aristocracy is no longer a romantic/useful for its time historical concept but something that (in my view) is still alive and kicking and problematic in the UK. My homeland has issues with racism but no one cares who your parents or grandparents were.

So that’s kind of ruined stately homes for me.

I mostly visit them to re-enact battles.

@SlidingInto2022sDMs thank you! I just wanted to hear if anyone else was conflicted to so that I would feel less alone.

I think it’s slightly naive to think historic social structures in other countries have been “dismantled” so you’re free to enjoy them. I think the indigenous peoples in Americas North, Central and South, Australia and some parts of Asia and Europe would might otherwise.

@monfuseds

I do think some are pretty, very shallow I know. What I find funny is often the landed gentry with their beat up cars & muddy trousers & dubious history re obtaining such wealth are often considered infinitely more classier then those who flaunt their wealth in designer labels.

I wonder if the elites tried to hide the extent of their wealth from the plebs by looking rough and 'the look' gradually became the uniform that's been passed down from generation to generation.

Now people just harp on about 'wealth looks like x and new money looks like y' like it really matters.

I love them.
But it isn't the grand rooms and staircases that I am interested in, I am fascinated by how things worked.
Love the kitchens and the stables and the difference between upstairs and downstairs and so on.

My Granny was the daughter of a coachman in a big house, she grew up in the room above the stable.
I am fscinated by the social structure and how it worked.
staff of 200 to run a house for a family of 5!

@Shiningpath true!

I know what you mean @Allsorts1 I went to chatsworth last summer, and I felt an awe for the beautiful architecture and landscape, but ended up feeling a bit sick at the magnitude of wealth. Especially at the end whereby it said the family couldn’t pay their taxes, so donated some tapestries to HMRC, which still hang in the house for visitors to see after they’ve paid their entrance fee to pay for the upkeep of the property because its too much for one family to pay.

I do however agree that usually the way historical houses have been set up, it’s hard to imagine the owners’ lives - with multiple bedrooms and dressing rooms and card rooms and retiring rooms, but much easier to go to the scullery and kitchens and feel the history come alive!

Yes, agree with you. DH particularly hates it, so we don’t really go anymore.

I start feeling very “vive la revolution!!!”

Yet we have successfully avoided most of the years of turmoil that revolutions - and counter revolutions cause. England has only ever had one civil war. Our progress towards democracy has instead been the gradual dismantling of power held the monarch, church and landed gentry and our journey towards greater equality and social evolution will be the same.

I find these buildings, and our history, fascinating. We need to preserve our history, we need reminders of how far we have evolved.

[quote Allsorts1]@SlidingInto2022sDMs thank you! I just wanted to hear if anyone else was conflicted to so that I would feel less alone.[/quote]
I hear you. It's like some people who can't imagine visiting some beautiful historic/plantation homes in the US for fun, or having their romantic/fairytale weddings there because of the history.

It is a sore spot, understandably.

[quote BeMoreGoldfish]@Triphazards I’ve never heard of Dunrobin Castle and thought it was an ironic name for “done robbing”, like done robbing the poor .[/quote]

@Allsorts1 I don’t think you can say they are all problematic, it just isn’t true. It’s probably pretty outing but I worked for one family who donated a hospital to the nation. They did an awful lot of good, treated their staff wonderfully (high quality free accommodation, could stay even if you retired, we had two pensions - one non contributory and one where they matched our contributions, free private health care, lovely Christmas gifts etc…)

England has only ever had one civil war.

I know you really meant "Britain"