'Are you two still here?'

When we arrived at Fountains Abbey, we were told that it was World Heritage Weekend, and they had some special events on. As we walked round the grounds they had set up picture frames to recreate the views which various artists had painted.

We had also been told that the Banqueting House was open, so we walked up to it, and found people in 18th Century costume being photographed. Always a sucker for a good posed photograph (and a good costume), I was soon snapping away as well. The photographer saw his chance, and the next minute I was photographer’s assistant, holding the flash for him. As they moved off to take more photos, I commented to Judith that it was all very well taking pictures, but what I really wanted was a big frock.

We walked over to the Banqueting House, and chatted to one of the actors, who was from North Country Theatre. I recognised his waistcoat from YTR (I have a habit of doing this), and soon we were chatting about costume, and costume sources. Looking round inside, Judith pointed out a basket of clothes labelled ‘dressing up’. Well…that’s all the encouragement we needed.

We found a dress each. The actor looked rather surprised when I started to take my shirt off (‘don’t worry, I have something on underneath’), and then I was asking for panniers to go under the dress to give it the correct shape. By this point the other actor had joined us, so between us all we got into the full outfits with straw bonnets, and started posing with the actors outside the Banqueting House. We then posed inside, and Judith decided that she would be a servant, and I tried on the man’s waistcoat and frock coat for a bit of cross-dressing. Other people wandered in and out, but were far too timid to try anything on.

Not us! It was the highlight of the day (and of Judith’s visit).