Book Review: Pomp and Piety: Everyday Life of the Aristocracy in Stuart England, by Ben Norman

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

I expect I'm not alone in thinking of the Stuart aristocracy in terms of their impressive portraits, but these are of course all posed and offer an 'edited' view of sitters. This fascinating new book from Ben Norman takes a look behind the paintings at life in Stuart times, by examining what they ate and drank, how they lived and loved, and how they differed in their views from today.

Much of their world is surprisingly modern, as they struggle to raise their children, pay the bills and enjoy life. At other times I found myself having to re-read to make sure I'd not misunderstood. For example, Lady Isabella Wentworth wrote to her thirty-year-old son, 'I wish you a good wife before Easter, and have found a match that will please you. She has four thousand a year and is very pretty, but what will please you most is she is four years old.'

More so than before, (or after) the aristocracy were defined by the quality of their houses, and competed with each other to create the most magnificent talking points. Old castles and Tudor mansions were swept away to follow new fashions, such as building the highest chimney stacks. (This 'backfired' on baronet Sir Edward Osborne when seven of his tall chimneys collapsed in a storm, smashing through the roof and killing his young son.)

I found the chapter on servants particularly interesting, both for how badly some were treated and how well others were rewarded. Even here the spirit of aristocratic competition found a new outlet in 'footman racing' where hapless staff were pitted against each other, often with huge bets on the outcome.

The biggest difference with modern life was the Stuart attitudes to illness and treatment.  Many died of diseases such as smallpox, and tried and tested 'cures' included 'plucking a score of snails from the garden walls, pulverising and boiling them in badger grease and applying, warm,  to the infected parts.'

Supported with useful notes about the people mentioned, this is a book that will find a place on my shelf, and I am happy to recommend to anyone who wants a richer appreciation of the Stuarts.

Tony Riches

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About the Author 

Ben Norman grew up in South Cambridgeshire, in a 700-year-old farmhouse that was supposedly visited by Oliver Cromwell in the seventeenth century. He has always found the past a fascinating place, with a particular interest in the strange but familiar world of early modern England, and holds a master’s degree in Early Modern History from the University of York, for which he achieved a distinction. When not immersed in history Ben enjoys writing fiction, spending days doing absolutely nothing, and indulging in his favourite science fiction film franchise. He currently lives and works in York.