Episode Description:

In this episode, the Duchess travels to meet Lady Ingilby of the amazing Ripley Castle. Lady Ingilby takes the Duchess on a journey through Ripley’s fascinating history, and explains the history behind priest holes. We hear more chilling ghost stories, and the ladies discuss the sometimes isolating exclusivity of the ‘stately wives club.’  

Have you ever watched Bridgerton, The Crown or Downton Abbey and wondered what it's really like to be a Duchess? If so, this is the podcast for you.

Top Quotes:

“Looking through history, you can’t underestimate the women who kept the home fires burning, kept the house going, and everything together.” - Lady Ingilby 

“The secret to a great British garden is: ‘does it make you happy.” - Lady Ingilby

“The first thing when you look around a privately owned stately home is that you sense it's a living, breathing home.” - Lady Ingilby

“This job isn’t about money. It’s about service.” - The Duchess of Rutland

About the Guest and Stately Home:

Lady Ingilby grew up in Yorkshire, the daughter of Major Richard A. Thompson. Emma married her husband Sir Thomas Ingilby, 6th Baronet in 1984 and the couple have five children together. 

In 2009, the family celebrated 700 years of living at Ripley Castle, that extraordinary achievement spans 28 generations, and began with Sir Thomas Ingleby when he acquired the estate through his marriage with Edeline Thwenge. The dowry of which aided Edward III to build Windsor Castle. The Ingilby family boasts a catholic saint, a connection to 9 members of the Gunpowder Plot, and the family crest has a boar on it, thanks to a member of the family saving Edward III. Today Ripley Castle is one of Britain's most iconic historic houses, and tourists from around the world travel to see it’s gardens, experience it’s history, and marvel at its treasures. 

About the Host:

Emma, the Duchess of Rutland, grew up far away from the world of the aristocracy. Born Emma Watkins, the Duchess grew up the daughter of a Quaker farmer, in the Welsh countryside. She trained as an opera singer in the Guildhall School of Music, and worked as a successful interior designer before meeting her future husband David Manners, the 11th Duke of Rutland, at a dinner party. Their marriage in 1992 thrust Emma into a new world, which included the responsibility of preserving one of the nation's greatest stately homes: Belvoir Castle. While simultaneously running the day to day operations of the castle, and raising five children, the Duchess became fascinated with the history and importance of the other stately homes of the UK. Join Emma as she embarks on a wonderful journey through time, to learn more about the incredible homes that have defined Great Britain and, most importantly, meet the other extraordinary women who work tirelessly in the background, to preserve their homes history and magic for future generations. 

Resources:

https://www.belvoircastle.com/

https://www.onefineplay.com/

https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/

https://www.emmaduchessrutland.com/

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