Massive Roast Beef of Olde Englande Armorial Eglinton Tournament Ironstone Plate

Rare Eglinton tournament ironstone plate by Ridgway, Morley, Wear and Co., Broad Street, Shelton, Hanley, Staffordshire (1836-1842) Transfer printed with a continuous band of fleur-de-lys, circa 1839-1840. Printed with a collection of medieval arms, armour and flags. The back is impressed 'Opaque Granite China' and WR and Co between lion and unicorn, and also printed with a small coat of arms with the banner 'Eglintoun' above R M W and Co. Size: 19 inches by 15 inches Condition: Good, showing carving knife use as expected. The Eglinton (Eglintoun) Tournament of 1839 was a re-enactment of a medieval joust and Revel held in Scotland on Friday 30th August. It was funded and organized by Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton, and took place at Eglinton Castle, near Kilwinning in Scotland. The Queen of Beauty was Georgiana Sheridan, the wife of Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset and sister of noted author Caroline Norton. Many distinguished visitors took part, including the future Emperor Napoleon 3rd of France. Widely publicized and open to the public, it was a deliberate set piece of Romanticism, in the face of widespread social and idealogical upheaval experienced by Europe during the 1830s. A hugely popular and significant phenomenon (planned for 4,000 people, it drew 100,000 spectators; significant impact on attitudes to Gothic Revival. This typical English platter would have taken pride of place as it was brought into the dining room bearing a large roast beef...