New Visitor Experience
Welcome to a thriving community at the heart of this historic country estate: a world of hierarchy, discipline, long hours and hard labour. The world ‘below stairs’ was rigorous yet rewarding, and fascinating new research carried out by English Heritage unveils what life was really like for servants in Victorian England. Welcome to Audley End, 1880.
Hidden Truths
For the very first time, English Heritage is opening previously locked doors to showcase an authentic Victorian Service Wing, carefully restored to its former heyday. Visitors to the Audley End estate can now wander through a world that was never intended to be seen – the functional heart of a house representing both prestige and opulence.
Experience the reality of life for servants at Audley End and the extensive range of tasks they carried out to cater for the demands of the Braybrooke family and their retinue. Previously unseen features within the Service Wing will include:
The Kitchen
The heart of every great house, the kitchen at Audley End was a constant hive of activity. Feel the heat of the open wood fire and see an array of Victorian kitchen utensils used to create sophisticated banquets for the Braybrooke family and their guests.
The Scullery
A room for getting your hands dirty, it was here that de-scaling of fish, plucking of feathers and washing of greasy pans took place. Also see a range of seasonal produce which the gardener has supplied from Audley End’s own organic kitchen garden.
Wet & Dry Laundry
Be sure to see the wet laundry with its row of original sinks used throughout the 1880s – you won’t find a washing machine in sight! Also view the complicated pulley systems in the dry laundry, used to hang enough linen to clothe a small army!
The Dairy
Experience the rigorous method by which butter was churned on a daily basis – a demanding workout for the dairy maid as part of a backbreaking morning routine. Which one of Lord Braybrooke’s favoured herd of cows has produced the most milk this week?
The Dry Larder
In one Christmas alone, the Braybrooke family and their guests consumed a huge amount of food, including 541lb of meat and 34 rabbits – all of which would have been prepared in this busy larder. Records show that much of the meat came not from the Audley End estate, but rather a local Butcher of King Street, Saffron Walden – Mr. Henry George Archer.
The Game Larder
Lord Braybrooke was a keen huntsman and a quick view of Audley End’s extensive natural history collection is enough to understand that this was a strong familial tradition (many of the specimens were even shot on site). See our newly restored game larder, with hundreds of original hooks used to hang the trophies of Lord Braybrooke’s hunting excursions.
The Service Yard (exterior)
Take time to explore our new Visitor Information Centre, encircled by Audley End’s characteristic ‘cloud hedge’ – now over 100 years old! See recently uncovered historic cobbles in the courtyard before stepping inside a world of duty, order and service.
At Your Service
Immerse yourself in the past as you experience the sights, sounds and smells of life in the service complex of this bustling country estate, with film projections, introductory wall displays and even original food from the era.
At special times throughout the year, you can even witness the ‘Service Wing at Work’, when you will be able to see and hear from a host of characters who once lived and worked at Audley End. Watch as they prepare food, wash sheets and carry out a range of tasks using traditional methods – but they’re a busy bunch so there’s no time for distraction!
Visitors can now gain an in-depth understanding of the lives of the people who lived and worked at Audley End during the nineteenth century. Throughout the year, a combination of live costumed interpretation and fascinating film projections will truly bring this hidden world of work to life.
See news reports from the Service Wing at Audley End on the following links:
BBC News - "Below stairs heritage display"
ITV News - (Search for Audley End)
