Famous Four Poster Bed – The Great Bed of Wear

Victoria Linen get many requests to create designs and dress four poster beds, from light drapes to full, dramatic curtains and matching valances. You might not know it but the grand four poster bed has remained popular for centuries with both modern and classic interpretations still in demand today.

A quick history of four poster beds

The classic four poster bed is usually defined by grand posts at each corner and detailed with ornate carvings. The bed was thought to have first been designed in the 1400’s in Austria. From there its popularity spread across Europe before becoming popular in the UK during the Tudor period. Known as ‘the bed of kings’ at the time these beds grew in size to match stature and would be decorated in the finest silks and satins. A status symbol for the time.

One of the most famous four poster beds is The Great Bed of Wear, now on display in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The 3 metre wide bed was believed to once be a curiosity at a bed and breakfast and was made famous by a mention in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. For detailed information on this magnificent oak four poster bed you can go and visit the V&A in London where it’s on display. If you’ve no time for that here’s a potted history.

The Great Bed of Wear

Bed of Wear
The Great Bed of Wear

1590: The Bed was probably made as a tourist attraction for an inn in Ware, Hertfordshire.

1601: Mentioned in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and by Sir Toby Belch, describing a sheet of paper ‘big enough for the bed of Ware!’

1609: Mentioned as ‘The Great Bed of Ware’ by Ben Johnson in Epiconene.

1611: Owned by Sir Henry Fanshaw of Ware Park.

1612: The bed (measuring 10 feet 8inches high and 8 feet 9 inches square) was transferred to the White Hart Inn in Hertfordshire.

1669: The bed wound up at Rye house, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.

1700: According to Sir Henry Chauncey’s history of Hertford ‘the bed bedded six citizens of London and their wives such was its size’.
Probably because of its size and importance the bed survived until the present date.

The Great bed of Wear is made from oak and heavily carved. The four poster posts are massive square sections at the base with a huge carved bulbous bobbin raised on a four pillar design. The headboard of the four poster features carved detail of pillars and arches surrounded by rosettes. This is an extremely ornate four poster bed and must have really stretched the skills of the bed makers.

Modern Four Poster Beds Today

Modern 4 poster bed by Revival Beds
Modern 4 poster bed by Revival Beds

There is still a big demand for four poster beds but the more popular sizes are king size (5’0″) and super kingsize (6’0″).
Revival Beds are a specialist bed maker from Nottinghamshire, making handmade 4 poster beds in all sizes. These include beds large enough to take 7’0” and 8’0″ mattresses (also known as Emperor and Caesar size beds).