Fans of acclaimed TV show Wolf Hall can get a little closer to its stars Damian Lewis and Claire Foy – well to their wardrobes at any rate.
Costumes from the BBC historical drama have gone on display at one of the locations used to film the hit series.
A display of eight of the costumes from the programme, which starred Damian as Henry VIII and Claire as Anne Boleyn, are the centre pieces of the display at Barrington Court, near Ilminster, Somerset.
In the BBC series the Tudor manor house doubled as York Place in Whitehall – the home of Thomas Cromwell’s mentor and friend Cardinal Wolsey.
Barrington Court is an empty house but the lack of furniture did not deter the film crews who were attracted to the Tudor interior restored in the 1920s.
They used the rooms at the manor house for many scenes featuring Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey.
The costumes featured include those worn by Damien, Claire and Mark Rylance as Cromwell.
The popular BBC drama earned a reputation for lavish scenes set in authentic locations and the costumes show the attention to detail used in dressing the actors.
“The choice of clothing was important in a Tudor court – the garments worn showed status in society,” said Keri Philips, visitor experience manager for the National Trust at Barrington Court.
“Thomas Cromwell was always shown wearing black but during the series his outfits changed to highlight his growing status and power.
“The King’s clothes made from luxurious fabrics are, of course, the height of power – emphasising wide shoulders tapering to the narrow waist and the obligatory codpiece.
“The costumes worn by Claire Foy and the actors playing the ladies of the court show the wonderful attention to detail.
“They were all hand made using original methods from the Tudor period which took a lot of research and care but ensured the costumes were as authentic as the settings chosen such as Barrington Court.”
The National Trust provided around 40% of the locations used in Wolf Hall with the location fees providing much needed income – with the money spent looking after the properties featured in the drama.
Harvey Edgington, head of filming and locations at the National Trust, said: “It’s also a very good way of getting people interested in a property.
“Sometimes we know people are only turning up because they have seen it in a film, while some are also interested in the story of the place.
“The increase in visitors is great news for these historic places as the additional revenue will help secure their future for generations to come.”
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