Key Facts

• Prices start from £69 for a double duvet cover, and are available to buy from www.christy-home.com
• For more information on English Heritage, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk

The license agreement with the UK’s oldest and well-renowned towel and bedlinen brand is English Heritage’s second collaboration, following one with the Little Greene Paint Company.

English Heritage approached Christy to help champion a selection of historic places by working in tandem to design and produce classic, timeless ranges of bedlinen, taking inspiration from the original features and décor found within notable period buildings and their grounds.

The first property used as the inspiration for the collection is Eltham Palace; a beautiful building dating back to the medieval period, known for being among the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in England.

Situated in leafy Greenwich, it was occupied and renovated in the 1930s by Virginia and Stephen Courtauld, who were known for their long-standing position in the textiles industry. Courtaulds, the family’s fabric company, was owned Christy up until July 2000 – giving the brands’ partnership even greater meaning.

The second property used is the home of Charles Darwin, Down House, which inspired a traditional, botanical themed collection with a feminine, floral aesthetic, due to its picturesque gardens.

Christy designer, Rachel Paley, developed the bedlinen collection in conjunction with Annie Kemkaran-Smith, Collections Curator for Eltham Palace and Down House.

Annie Kemkaran-Smith believes it was important for English Heritage to produce such a collection with a British manufacturer that uses the finest materials and detailed embroidery, with an understanding for premium quality in its design and production.

Christy and English Heritage will be expanding the collection with a Chinoiserie design inspired by Wrest Park and Gardens in Bedfordshire.