Mr & Mrs Bankes & Family
Kingston Lacy house, designed by the influential architect Sir Roger Pratt, was
completed in 1663 and is Grade 1 Listed for its architectural importance. Its creator, Sir Ralph Bankes, founded one of the earliest country house picture collections in the
country and today, it represents one of the most significant in National Trust ownership.
The family made many improvements over the centuries but the greatest change came in the 1830s and 1840s, when William John Bankes commissioned renowned architect, Sir Charles Barry, to create the magnificent Italian influenced interiors we see today.
The house and estate was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1981 by Ralph Bankes. It came with a rich collection of textiles and costume. These date mainly from the 1890s to 1930s, showing the tastes of Henrietta Bankes.
This exhibition showcases the clothing of Henrietta, her husband, Walter Ralph, and their three children
