Dress made for turn of the century goes on display

11 hours ago

Nicola Heald said the dress could only be displayed for a month because the fabric could be damaged by light

National Trust/Pete Huggins A close-up of the waist band of the Cockleshell Dress. The dress is pale cream silk embroidered in bronze thread with different types of shells, including cockleshells and periwinkles. Around the waist is a thick band of slightly darker golden gauzy fabric tied in a neat bow. Part of the sleeves are visible. They are puffy and elasticated above the elbow then give way to a cream lace sleeve. — Nicola Heald said the dress could only be displayed for a month because the fabric could be damaged by light

A dress designed to welcome in the 20th Century has gone on display for a month at a country house.

The Cockleshell Dress was worn by Mary Vere Agar-Robartes, the eldest daughter of Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes and Mary Dickinson, who lived at Lanhydrock, near Bodmin, Cornwall, from 1879 to 1946.

The dress - made from cream silk and decorated with a shell pattern, gold-thread detailing and a commemorative sash bearing the date 1900 - was restored by the National Trust's textiles conservators.

Nicola Heald, from the trust, said the dress would only be exhibited between 28 August to 27 September "because the fabric is so sensitive to light" and the display was a "rare chance" to see it.

Nicola Heald said the design was thought to have been inspired by a nursery rhyme

National Trust/Pete Huggins A view of the full-length Cockleshell Dress on a manikin. It is pale cream silk embroidered in bronze thread with different types of shells, including cockleshells and periwinkles. Around the waist is a thick band of slightly golden gauzy fabric. The sleeves are puffy and elasticated above the elbow then give way to a cream lace sleeve. There is a cream silk sash pinned across one shoulder with 1900 embroidered in brown and a gold-hued fringe. — Nicola Heald said the design was thought to have been inspired by a nursery rhyme

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Heald, the collections and house manager, said: "It's a real treat to be able to put the Cockleshell Dress on display.

"Because the fabric is so sensitive to light, opportunities to see it are very limited, so this month-long display gives visitors a rare chance to appreciate the detail and craftsmanship of the dress up close."

She said the design of the dress was thought to have been inspired by the nursery rhyme Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary due to its reference to "silver bells and cockle shells".

"This wasn't simply a beautiful dress, it was something Mary wore to celebrate the arrival of a new century, and it helps bring that moment in the family's story to life," she said.

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