An informal loose robe, fashionable during the 18th century, once owned by the fifth Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne (1732-1811).

The banyan is of striped silk and cotton cloth, wide pink cotton stripes alternating with narrow green silk and maroon cotton stripes. Double breasted and fastens with 1 wide flat self-covered button at the upper right hand shoulder. Standing collar with central front opening which fastens with 2 flat self-covered buttons.
The entire garment is lined with tabby weave cotton interlined with cotton wadding and quilted in a lozenge pattern with cotton thread using running stitch. The sleeves terminate in a round cuff and both fasten with a single flat self-covered button.

The stitching on button holes and sleeves has been done in a contrasting dark brown silk, as has the stitching on the cuffs. The stitching on the button holes at the neck and shoulder has been done in white cotton thread. In the skirts of the banyan there are 2 slits for pockets on either side. The back is pleated, the gather sewn into the collar and the pleats have been sewn down from the bottom of the collar to just below the waist. At the waist the skirts have been gathered into 2 pleats which have come loose.

On the interior the skirt pleats are gathered into a waist band which has been repaired at a later date. The seams on the shoulders, arms and skirts as well as the pocket and central back seam have been bound with linen.