Member Event: Dress Detectives at Old Magistrates Court

Discover the evolving world of fashion and society through the National Trust’s Fashion & Dress Collection, hosted at Old Magistrates Court. Led by one of the National Trust’s expert education facilitators, this immersive experience invites you to explore historic garments dating from the 1830s onwards. As you examine changing styles, silhouettes, manufacturing techniques and social expectations, you’ll uncover how clothing reflects broader shifts in women’s lives, freedoms and identities over time. With gloves on, you’ll engage directly with selected pieces from the collection, gaining rare insight into the craftsmanship, materials and cultural history stitched into each garment. It’s a hands-on encounter with history that reveals how fashion both responds to — and drives — change. This is a rare opportunity to see inside the Old Magistrates Court, which is not open to the public. This event is open to members only. Bookings essential.