Era Survey - A Passion For The Past

A nationwide survey published this week by the National Trust asked people to imagine that they could travel back in time and select their 'dream date' from a selection of historical characters portrayed by well-known actors and actresses, their ultimate romantic hideaway from a selection of six period properties and most attractive dress from a series of six distinctive costumes from the past.

A nationwide survey published this week by the National Trust asked people to imagine that they could travel back in time and select their 'dream date' from a selection of historical characters portrayed by well-known actors and actresses, their ultimate romantic hideaway from a selection of six period properties and most attractive dress from a series of six distinctive costumes from the past.

  • The findings place Robin Hood in the top spot above Mr Darcy, (31% of female votes compared with 29%), whilst medieval damsel Maid Marion is British men's sweetheart (chosen by 27%).
  • When asked about the dream house, in which they would choose to live happily ever after with their dream date, it seems we are a nation with modest tastes. Around three in ten (31%), prefer the dark wooden beams and latticed windows of the Tudor era over an imposing 17th or 18th century manor house (4% and 8% respectively).
  • When it comes to clothing, the empire line continues to appeal even today. Women were asked which costume they would choose to wear on their dream date, and men asked which made women most attractive -- overall one-third opted for the Regency style adorned by Jane Austen's heroine Elizabeth Bennett.

Topline Results

  • Base: Adults aged 15+ (1,015)
  • Fieldwork dates: 6-10 May 2005
  • Interviews conducted face-to-face in respondents' homes using the MORI Omnibus
  • Number of sample points across Britain: 194
  • All figures are in percentages
  • Data have been weighted to the known population profile
  • Numbers may not always add up to 100% due to computer rounding or multiple answers
  • An asterisk represents a percentage less than 0.5 but greater than zero

We would now like to ask you a few light hearted questions about history.

Q1 If you had to live in one of the following historical periods, in which one if any, would you choose?

  %
21st Century (the present day) 45
20th Century (1900's) 17
Victorian (1837 to 1901) 10
Roman (50AD to 5th century) 6
Edwardian (1901 to 1910) 4
Elizabethan (1558 to1603) 4
Georgian (1689 to1837) 4
Middle Ages (5th to 15th century) 2
Jacobean (1603 to 1649) 1
Restoration (1660 to 1689) 1
None of these 5
Don't know 3

Q2 How interested, if at all, would you be in living in a different historical period?

  %
Very interested 17
Fairly interested 30
Not very interested 26
Not at all interested 25
INTERESTED 47
NOT INTERESTED 51
Don't know 2

Q3 Which, if any, of the following would you miss the most if you lived before the 20th century?

  %
Not having a national health service 34
Flushing toilets 27
Car 16
Television 12
Having the right to vote 5
Vacuum cleaner 2
None of these 3
Don't know 1

Q4 Which, if any, of these pieces of clothing would you most like to see become fashionable again?

  %
Bowler Hat 17
Cloak 17
Corset 13
Crinoline 6
Bustle 4
Bloomers 1
Codpiece 1
Sock-suspender 1
Knee-britches 1
Ruff 1
None of these 33
Don't know 4

Now, I would like you to imagine for a moment that you could travel back in time for a dream date...

Q5 Which of the following, if any, would be your dream date?

  Total All men All women
    (482) (533)
  % % %
Robin Hood in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' 18 3 31
Mr Darcy in the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice' 15 * 29
Will Shakespeare in the film 'Shakespeare in Love' 4 1 7
James Matthew Barrie in the film 'Finding Neverland' 3 * 6
King Charles II in the TV series 'The Power and the Passion' 2 * 3
Maid Marion in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' 14 27 1
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in the film 'Finding Neverland' 7 15 *
Viola de Lesseps in the film 'Shakespeare in Love' 7 13 1
Moll Flanders in the TV series 'The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders' 6 12 *
Elizabeth Bennett in the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice' 3 4 2
None of these 17 20 14
Don't know 4 5 3
Women's top responses by region North Midlands South
  (196) (159) (178)
  % % %
Robin Hood in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' 38 28 28
Mr Darcy in the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice' 26 34 29
Will Shakespeare in the film 'Shakespeare in Love' 3 9 10
James Matthew Barrie in the film 'Finding Neverland' 10 7 2
King Charles II in the TV series 'The Power and the Passion' 3 4 3
Men's top responses by region North Midlands South
  (160) (152) (170)
Maid Marion in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' 21 27 32
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in the film 'Finding Neverland' 16 17 11
Viola de Lesseps in the film 'Shakespeare in Love' 12 12 14
Moll Flanders in the TV series 'The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders' 16 11 8
Elizabeth Bennett in the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice' 5 3 4

So, you've chosen your dream date with...

Q6 Which, of the following, if any, would be your dream house in which to live happily ever after with your dream date? All specifying a character as their dream date at Q5 (792)

  %
Bodiam Castle 19
Little Moreton Hall 31
Ham House 4
Lyme Park 8
Knightshayes Court 13
Polesden Lacey 19
None of these 5
Don't know 1

Q7 Each of these are costumes from different historical periods in time, Women: Which of the following, if any, would you choose to wear on your dream date? Men: Which one, if any, made women most attractive? All specifying a character as their dream date at Q5

  All men All women
  (360) (432)
  % %
A medieval fur-trimmed velvet gown with elaborate head-gear gown and flared sleeves 2 5
A heavy Elizabethan jewel-encrusted dress 7 10
A silk 17th century costume with low-cut neckline and V-shaped bodice 17 9
A Regency, 18th century empire-line muslin frock 32 33
A Victorian crinoline dress with full skirt 22 25
An Edwardian outfit with fitted bodice 6 6
None of these 10 8
Don't know 3 4

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