Life below stairs

Venture into the basement and get a taste of the hustle and bustle of life below stairs.

Discover the kitchen, laundry and housekeeper’s rooms from where the affairs of the house were run.

Look out for:

• A hidden staircase – this enabled the servants to get to most of the upstairs rooms without being seen.
• A small lift – known as a ‘dumb waiter’, this was used to move things up and down the house.
• A range of bells – used by the family to summon the servants.
• The Housekeeper’s Room – here the housekeeper would write up her accounts, make orders for food and perhaps sit and drink tea made from her mistress’ used tea leaves: one of the benefits which went with her job!
• The cold water plunge pool – used by the master of the house.

Find out what there is to see above stairs.