I thought you might like to see some images of the Leigh Perrots and their home Scarletts.

The reason I am doing this is that we are often shown a picture of Mrs L-P looking very grim in old age, but I think these pictures show she was a woman of quite some beauty,and she certainly seems to have quite captivated Mr L-P:

He wrote her this poem (with which was enlosed a seed pearl necklace) while she was awaiting trial at Ilchester Gaol on a charge of stealing a card of lace from a Bath Haberdashers shop:

My dearest Wife
With thee no Days can Winter Seem,
Nor Frost nor Blast can Chill;
Thou the soft Breeze, the Chearing Beam,
That keeps it Summer Still.
Your Faithfully
lovingly & Wholly
James Leigh Perrot

He also shared her incarceration in the gaol- in the dirty and close confines of the warden's home within the gaol. She was acquitted.

Here is a silhouette of her wearing a fabulous 1780's style hat:

This is a wonderful portrait of Mr Leigh Perrot , still on view to the public in the collection of Isel Hall near Cockermouth in Cumbria. This portraits hows him to be very richly dressed: look at the quality of the lace, for example. They clearly were people of fashion and riches.

The portrait used to hang at Scarlets, and was one of Mrs L-P's favourtes. She coud write this very affectionate letter, about the picture when she was 84 and Mr J-P was long dead( he died in 1817):

Indeed that picture is one of my greatest Comforts! I can sometimes get into one of my fanciful moods and think it is saying something as truly Affectionate & gratifying as I have heard from the dear , highly Valued original- My feelings at some times I would not be without for all that they gay World could afford- I can flatter myself that he is approving every action of my Life-when such are my sentiments can it be wonder'd at, that I am fond of Solitude?

(see JAS Report 2007 page 80)

And here is a picture of their home Scarlets , which was situate at Kiln Green near Wargrave, Berkshire, :

This house is now sadly reduced form its former glory- the gardens have been sold off and built upon and the house is now in multi- occupation. But I thought you might like to see the type of home in which they resided . Quite a different type of place to Steventon rectory I'm sure you will agree.