Servants' Quarters
From the kitchen to the scullery, Preston Manor’s Servants’ Quarters reflect the reality of Victorian and Edwardian life ‘below stairs’, including some of the basic equipment available to domestic staff.
The servants’ quarters provide visitors with a fascinating glimpse into life ‘below stairs’ in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These were the engine rooms of the house, from the kitchen, with its scrubbed table and polished copper preserving pans and jelly moulds, to the boot hall, with its 19th-century mangle and everything you might need to keep the family’s footwear clean and polished.
Upstairs, downstairs
There was a strict hierarchy – headed by the butler and cook-housekeeper – and some of the lower servants rarely venture upstairs or came into contact with the family in residence. Male and female servants were segregated, only coming together to eat in the Servants’ Hall, close to the tradesman’s entrance. Here, you can also see boxes containing everything needed to clean the grates, a major daily task in winter – black lead and brushes, hearth sheet and protective cotton gloves.
Caring for the family silver
The butler’s pantry features a similar box of equipment for care of the family’s silver, along with a top hat and hatter’s iron, while in the scullery, you’ll see gadgets such as an ice-cream maker and an early refrigerator from Harrods, which was filled with ice each week by a local fishmonger.
These rooms are simply decorated, enabling staff to meet all the domestic needs of a wealthy family.