A Trip to Elizabethan Bristol

Imagine rich textiles hanging from the walls, the glint of silverware, the smells of herbs and spices. The Great Oak Room, one of the oldest and most important rooms in Red Lodge, was used for banqueting and parties.

It was also used by John Young, the merchant who had the lodge built, to display his wealth and status. The top craftsmen of the day spent 2 years carving the oak, sculpting the stone and moulding the ceiling in this impressive room.

Carved porches like this were common in the homes of wealthy Elizabethans. The porch blocked the draught to keep the room cosy in winter. It is decorated with columns and carved with coats of arms and images of Native Americans.

The stone chimney piece stretches from floor to ceiling, dominating the room. The elaborate carvings are a display of the wealth and nobility of its owner. It is unusual to find a chimney of this size in its original setting.  

This highly decorated chair has a back which tilts down and can be used as a table—a clever way of combining two pieces of furniture in one. Carved chairs would be offered to guests as a mark of respect. 

This is the largest of several carved oaken chests in this room. Elizabethans—rich ones—used chests like this to store tablecloths, napkins, bedding, and clothes.

This cozy room at the front of the house was ideal for small groups of people. It was easier to heat than the large reception rooms. The wood paneled walls date from the 1700s and were added when the house was modernized. They are painted in colors fashionable at the time.

This chest of drawers was made in 1658 when Oliver Cromwell governed England. Styles at that time were heavily influenced by the Puritans, and most furniture was simply decorated. That makes the fancy patterns on this chest unusual. 

This portrait of Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York, was painted on a piece of wood with decorations on the other side. It is hinged to the wall and can be swung out like a shutter so that visitors can see both sides.

This chair, carved from beech and elm, tells the mythical story of Actaeon, a Greek hero. The carvings also include the coat of arms of Robert Skinner, Bishop of Bristol from 1637 to 1641.  

In the 18th century, print collecting was a fashionable pastime of the wealthy. Photography had not been invented, so these black and white images interested people.

The prints in this room did not belong to the Lodge’s owners but were acquired by the Museum. The room shows how a print collection might have been displayed. 

The fireplace surround is an assortment of tiles from the mid-1700s that were added after the room was finished. Some are delft tiles from the Netherlands while others were produced in Bristol. The green tiles are from Liverpool. 

As paper became cheaper in the 18th century, many more people could afford to buy prints like these to hang in their homes. These prints are all portraits of French royalty and noblemen.