Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Phillip Yorke began the unique tradition of assembling portraits of the household's servants
in the late 1700s. As part of the tradition, he annotated each portrait with a bit of poetry,
usually descriptive verse about the individual. The Yorke family continued to keep a record
of the people who lived and worked on the estate into the 20 th century.
Over the centuries, there were more servants portraits produced at Erddig than of the family
themselves. Several 18 th century portraits are on display in the Servants Hall with verses
attributed to Phillip Yorke I. Photographs of the staff line the basement passage and here
most of the poetry is the work of Phillip II. The earliest is a daguerreotype from 1852. The
owner's documented relationships with servants and workers lasted until the First World
War, evidence of a family not taking for granted the work of their domestic staff.
Beyond the house staff's workplace, there are several outbuildings and yards dedicated to
the upkeep of the estate. A foreman and staff of 30 workers were employed to repair farm-
houses, cottages, roads and bridges on the property. The laundry yard contained a bake-
house, scullery, and wet and dry laundries.
Proclaimed to be one of the greatest rooms at Erddig, the New Kitchen has a large Venetian
window and three great arches; the design is attributed to Phillip I's regard for his staff.
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