Chemise said to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) in which she was executed at Fotheringhay Castle
Category
Costume
Date
c. 1580
Materials
Linen and silk
Order this imageCollection
Coughton Court, Warwickshire
NT 135702
Caption
The Latin inscription on the front of this 16th century linen chemise states that it was worn by Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–87) at her execution at Fotheringhay Castle on 8 February 1587. Although this is difficult to substantiate, the chemise has come to embody the brutal end of a monarch raised to be queen of Scotland and France, who later became a symbol of religious resistance and martyrdom. Made of fine linen with a low, square neckline and cuffs finished in decorative cutwork, this type of chemise or smock would have been worn as an easily laundered undergarment. It was understood to be essential in protecting the skin from disease, while also serving to preserve the cleanliness of the sumptuous outer gown worn over it. The proximity of the chemise to the queen’s skin during her final hours gives this garment additional poignancy, while the act of stitching history as a text onto the garment ensures its significance is remembered. Emma Slocombe
Summary
Chemise said to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots in which she was executed at Fotheringhay Castle. Of fine linen with drawn thread borders inscribed on the bodice in red and dated Feb 11 1587. This is an Elizabethan undergarment and only one other of this type is known to survive.
References
Antrobus and Slocombe 2025: Helen Antrobus and Emma Slocombe, 100 Things to Wear: Fashion from the collections of the National Trust, National Trust 2025, pp. 26-27.