400-year-old bed slept in by 15 generations identified as oldest in the UK

A 400-year-old bed which has provided a luxurious night's sleep for 15 generations of the same aristocratic family is claimed to be oldest in the UK. The antique four-poster with its ornate carved headboard was built for the residents of the Berkeley Castle estate in Gloucestershire in 1608 and has been used for more than 400 years. It has been providing a "comfortable" night's rest for the couple at Gloucestershire Castle, 'The Telegraph' reported.The style of the bed posts date them to the period 1560-1640, say Furniture historians. They believe the royal arms in the middle of the headboard are of the Stuart monarchy, dating the bed more specifically to the period after the accession of James I in 1603. It has been suggested that the male and female figures in the pedestals represent Henry Berkeley, 7th Baron Berkeley, and his second wife, Jane. The bed was identified by retailer Furniture Village which launched a challenge to find the piece of furniture that has remained in continuous use by the same family the longest. "Despite its great age, it is the most comfortable bed in the castle. Sleeping in such a wonderfully historic bed conveys a real feeling of British history," Georgina Berkeley said. The bed is listed on an inventory taken on September 20 1608 of New Park Lodge, a family property on the Berkeley Castle estate. "What makes the Berkeley bed so unique is that it is still used by the same family and its moment of appearance can be accurately dated," Charlie Harrison, marketing director at Furniture Village, said.

Është shtrati më antik në botë që ende përdoret në Mbretërinë e Bashkuar e që ndodhet në një nga dhomat e shumta të kështjellës Berkeley, në jug-perëndim të Anglisë. Në shtratin në fjalë kanë fjetur 15 breza fisnikësh që i përkasin familjes Berkeley, të cilët kanë pasur mundësi të shijojnë komoditetin e tij, ndërkohë që eksperiencën do ta vazhdojnë pasardhësit e tyre. Siç kanë shpjeguar pronarët aktualë të shtratit, John Berkeley dhe bashkëshortja e tij Georgina, ai vazhdon të jetë shtrati më i mirë i të gjithë rezidencës së tyre. Objekti është ndërtuar me dru në vitet e para të 1600-ës, ka mbulesën tipike në pjesën e sipërme dhe mban stemën mbretërore të familjes Stuart. Gazeta “Daily Telegraph” i ka kushtuar një editorial të vogël këtij lajmi, duke shkruar se, dyqanet sot mund të ofrojnë mobilie me çmime marramendëse, por cilësia e ofruar nga artizanët e dikurshëm është e paarritshme.