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Bedroom Off The Dining Room???

Yes, It's True

http://library.mtsu.edu/tps/lessons_3-5.php

So, a comment was made to me that "strangely the master bedroom was off the dining room, and that that was unusual". Well, the answer is yes and no. Yes it is unusual for today. However, people did not use rooms then as we do now. 

The time of Daniel Smith was PRIOR to Queen Victorian. Why is this important? Well, because our house set up and values derive from her, and directly from her.

During the time of Daniel Smith, the bedrooms were just beginning to move upstairs. In fact, most bedrooms were on the first floor, and the dining was on the second in the beginning of the eighteenth century. We like to think that Tennessee was backwards, but indeed it was not! Ok, so fashions took a little time to get to the American frontier  but not as slow as you think. There were many books and magazines that traveled west, and people actually read them. ;)

AND, Rock Castle was actually on the forefront of house fashion. It had Roman styling with the newer central staircase. And, what was very new for this era, a back staircase for servants. Also new in styling was a servant room. This was brand new to the central to late 18th century. Before this, servants would sleep in the hall. Yes, even in America. To have a room specifically for a servant meant the owner was well to do! So, what about that bedroom off the dining? Stay with me! 

People did not just sleep in bedrooms as the Victorians did. Bedrooms were also staterooms. This meant that there were business meetings and parties inside the bedroom. Also, teas, gatherings, etc. When there was party, tables could be set up easily inside the bedroom. These tables were usually trestle tables so they could easily be removed as well. Chairs could be brought in, etc. Again, do not think about our traditions now, to be in someones bedroom was not unconscionable then. The room could be used as a withdrawing room for the ladies, especially since there was no formal drawing rooms yet, this was a little bit later. The correct term would be "withdrawing chamber" during the eighteenth century, and there still could be a bed there for the use of guests, or gasp!, just for appearances! This was slowly going out of fashion, and would be completely out of fashion by 1800 in Europe and shortly thereafter America. 

Any thoughts?

Interested in Being a Guest Blogger?

Rules For Publication on Historic Rock Castle Blog:

http://blog.rarenewspapers.com/?p=665

Article length must be from one to twenty pages, double spaced, size 12 Times New Roman and fully cited. Citations may be of any method. Any pictures, photographs, maps, charts, etc. must also be cited. Article must not have been previously published in any fashion. Paper selected for publishing on the Historic Rock Castle’s blog becomes the property of Historic Rock Castle, and may not be reproduced without full permission. This is a guest, volunteer blog spot, and does not constitute employment or contract, or a financial reward.

Subject matter may be on anything pertaining to Historic Rock Castle. This means that it may be on the mansion, the grounds, the city of Hendersonville, the State of Tennessee, and the United States. It may be on art, crafts, politics, newspapers, fashion, sports, family life, farm life, motor or waterworks, etc. If the paper does not pertain specifically to the mansion and/or grounds, then the paper must be time-period appropriate to Historic Rock Castle, from 1784 to 1818. 

Historic Rock Castle has the right to refuse publication for any reason and does not guarantee for any reason that the submitted piece will be selected. Selection may be revised before publication without notification to author. This is meant to have people who are interested in history to get their ideas out for conversational purposes only, and not to be considered a direct opinion of Historic Rock Castle.

Fan fiction must be time period appropriate.

For information on Historic Rock Castle, please see our website at http://historicrockcastle.com. If interested, submit abstract to sassycountess@live.com. Selected papers will be published at http://historicrockcastle.blogspot.com/.