Though they were essentially backpacking across Europe, the two of them traversed the Continent in style, hauling with them a large entourage made up of their two children, their chaplain, their steward, around nineteen servants, many pets, and a lot of furniture. Even for a few years after their deaths in 1700 and 1703, respectively, John and Anne's shopping purchases continued to arrive at Burghley for inventory and unpacking. Throughout the subsequent decades, the family's fortunes came and went, depending upon the spending practices or political and economic fortunes of England's larger political economy. It's a miracle most of it survived, but the family did do well in adopting the practice of marrying individuals who could bring a little extra money to the table. In the 20th century, the Cecils managed to marry into Vanderbilt money, and thus into a share of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, another house with more than an adequate amount of square footage.
Life is unfair.
As she herself points out, Lady Leatham's father, as well as his eldest sister, departed from the traditions of the family by having careers. When this was pointed out, I remembered one of my favorite parts of the movie, the moment when the butler for the character of Lord Lindsay placed filled champagne glasses along the top sides of the hurdles for his master's training sessions. Lady Leatham's aunt was an opera singer employed in Milan. Anyway, her father didn't take much of an interest in all of the things in the houses, except maybe for the paintings. The exhibit features many splendid items of exceptional craft that we are not likely to see elsewhere.