Most people who study seventeenth century clothing are aware of the Verney Collection at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire. The collection is in the care of the National Trust, because many of the garments are so fragile they are displayed on a seven year cycle. This year, until the 20th October 2025, the two garments on display are the ivory coloured covered stays and the stitched maternity stays, both of which belonged to Mary Abell who married Edmund Verney in 1662.
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| The pink maternity stays |
The two items are displayed in a glass sided floor length cabinet which allows you to walk all the way round. Patterns and details of both garments have been taken and published by the School of Historical Dress in Patterns of Fashion 5. (1 pp. 63-9)
The ivory covered stays
The National Trust have produced “copies” of the other
garments which are displayed in the ground floor rooms, together with boards
carrying information on the original garments. There are considerable differences
between the original garments and their copies, seen most obviously in the copy
of Edmund Verney’s 1662 doublet and breeches for his wedding. (2) Note that the
matching cloak and sword hanger appear not to have been copied.
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| Board accompanying the copy of Edmind verney's suit |
As well as the wedding suit copies of some other items have been produced:
Ralph Verney’s gown from c.1605-15, a pattern for which appears in Patterns of Fashion 3. (3 pp. 38, 98, 100) This has been on display before together with its matching cap and slippers, as can be seen in the online record. (4)
The copy and display board for Ralph Verney's robe
The original robe on display
Sir John Verney’s Ottoman robe from c.1662. The National Trust record for this has very little information, but does have a photgraph. https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446614
Some, but not all, of the other garments in the collection appear in the National Trust database. It can be difficult to find material on the database, however there is:
A black doublet c.1625-35 https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446616
A black doublet c.1665-70 https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446625
An ivory coloured slashed doublet c.1630-39 https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446611
References
1. Arnold, Janet, et al. Patterns of Fashion 5: the content, cut, construction and context of bodies, stays, hoops and rumps, c.1595-1795. London : The School of Historical Dress, 2018.
2. Weatherall, Rosamund. A Hidden History at Claydon House: The elaborate 17th-century wedding suit of Edmund Verney. National Trust Arts, Buildings & Collections Bulletin. 2014, Autumn.
3. Arnold, Janet. Patterns of Fashion: the cut and construction of clothes for men and women c.1560-1620. London : Macmillan, 1985.
4. National Trust. Claydon House. Ralph Verney's robe. [Online] [Cited: Oct 7, 2025.] https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1446623.
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