This an introductory post about the classical Georgian country houses of which Great Britain is so blessed. I intend to look at aspects of these houses in more detail in the coming months.
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| Lower Brockhampton, Georgian house (C) Heather King |
The medieval castles and
sprawling manor houses had already evolved into a more formal residence during
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Gardens were laid out in geometric
patterns with strictly linear paths and clipped hedges. Knot gardens and
parterres often fronted the large residence, such as at Wilton House in
Wiltshire, which was planned to entertain royalty.
By the extended Regency period,
however, the visitor was likely to approach a country house via a long drive,
past a lodge (complete with lodge-keeper) and proceed at a brisk trot through a
sweeping vista of rolling parkland dotted with ancient oak, horse chestnut and
beech trees. Between the gnarled branches covered in lichen, a view of a
sparkling lake was almost de rigueur,
while various follies and perhaps an ice-house would also be glimpsed in
secluded positions around the estate. Closer to the house, the winding road
forks, one arm leading to the sumptuous, pedimented stable block where my
lord’s hunters and carriage horses are cared for in palatial stalls by a dozen
or more dedicated grooms. The other arm continues to a gravelled forecourt in
front of the house.
Built frequently in a
quadrangle, for protection from prevailing winds as well as to contain
unpleasant odours – so as not to upset the delicate sensibilities of the lady
of the house – and keep hidden the plebeian tasks undertaken therein, these
vast constructions were usually entered beneath an archway surmounted by a
clock tower. Long buildings faced in stone or brick contained lines of stalls,
the occasional stallion and/or foaling box, harness rooms, feed rooms and hay
barns. When members of the ton
descended on an aristocratic country estate, there were a large number of
horses and servants to be accommodated and fed. It did not suit a gentleman’s
sense of worth if he could not provide stabling for his guests’ cattle.
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| Stable Arch, Berrington Hall (C) Heather King |
The Palladian mansions of the
eighteenth century were often arranged in a square or rectangle around a
central hall. Sometimes, as in Hagley Hall in Worcestershire, towers were
constructed at each corner, thus allowing for a porticoed entrance on the front
and rear aspects. Rooms led one into another, enabling two overlapping
circuits, one of the public apartments and one of the private. The principal
floor at Hagley included a gallery stretching the length of the house; hall,
saloon, drawing and dining rooms, and two bedrooms with dressing rooms alongside.
Staircases led upstairs from both sides of the central hall and saloon (and
yes, it was termed saloon rather than
salon!), with a servants’ access
hidden behind the doorway to a dressing room. There was also a library on this
floor, in the private part of the house. Thus Hagley Hall was designed (in
about 1752) in the same manner as the earlier, formal house, yet with different
purposes in mind. An alternative arrangement was provided by a wide entrance
front, with mirroring wings extending out to the rear of the house.
At Berrington Hall in
Worcestershire, the Staircase Hall is two storeys, topped by an awe-inspiring
domed window, admitting light into what would otherwise be a dark, gloomy
space. The balconies around the hallway are fronted by decorative cast-iron balustrades
and columns of golden brown scagliola.
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| Staircase Hall, Berrington Hall (C) Heather King |
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| Skylight, Berrington Hall (C) Heather King |
At Hanbury Hall, also in
Worcestershire, James Thornhill painted a glorious series of murals to decorate
the staircase. Various scenes from the life of Achilles are depicted in rich
colours and flowing lines. The detail, and the fact that they are still there
to be enjoyed by the grateful visitor after more than 300 years, is a testament
both to the artist and the care of the National Trust. The paintings were completed
in 1710.
The Drawing Room was for show
rather than relaxing, unlike our lounges and sitting rooms today. They were
furnished with delicate, spindle-legged chairs and sofas, often with pie-crust
or marquetry-topped occasional tables nearby for the convenience of guests.
Side tables (not to be confused with those employed for personal use) were
rectangular pieces of mahogany or, in an earlier age, walnut, set against a
wall for the displaying of ornaments, silverware or a drinks tray. Often
incorporating a pier-glass (large mirror) above, in many cases they are not
free standing, having only two legs. Small groups of chairs encouraged diverse
conversations among house guests. For more informal use, the lady of the house
might well have a smaller parlour for her personal or family use, which, in all
likelihood, would contain a desk, armchairs and a cabinet. She might keep her
sewing box here, too.
The Dining Room was also
intended for ostentatious display. Georgians were not shy about showing off
their wealth. Costly furniture, moulded door cases, ornately-mounted
pier-glasses and rich paintings were all part of that desire to be seen to be
affluent. A large, extendable table of highly-polished wood was centre stage,
while a sideboard, wine cooler, cellarette with zinc-lined drawer for the
washing of plates, various serving tables and a commode were all considered
essential for the diners’ comfort.
Originally a place for
exercise when the weather was inclement and often appropriated by the children
of the family or young bloods for such games as cricket or hide-and-seek, over
time the Gallery became more widely used as a ballroom and area to display
pictures, surely the forerunners of modern art galleries and museums.
Many larger establishments,
such as Chatsworth and Blenheim, have State apartments, decorated on a grand
scale, for visits of nobility and royalty. These rooms occupy the most
prestigious position in the house, whereas in the more modest mansion, this is
reserved for the master and mistress’ bedchambers. Usually at the front of the
house, with extensive views over the parkland, my lord and lady’s chambers were
situated next to each other, with a connecting door and often a dressing room
in between. The dressing room also had access to the corridor servicing the
suite, to enable the servants to enter without disturbing their employers.
In addition to the library
and/or a study for his lordship, a country house was likely to have a chapel
(sometimes within the house), a smoking room, a billiards room and even an
estate office. There would be, of course, a nursery wing with bedrooms for the
children, their nursemaids and governess. The main stairs would lead no further
than this floor, but the back stairs would continue to the servants’ quarters
and the attics above. The butler and housekeeper had private sitting rooms as
befitted their elevated status in the servants’ hall.
The kitchens of a country
house were situated either at the rear of the house – sometimes within the mansion
itself and sometimes in a separate building connected by a passage – or in the
basement. In the former arrangement, the dairy, laundry and bake-house would
also be housed in the kitchen range or nearby.
In order to be near their
charges, the grooms and the coachman were billeted in rooms above the stables,
although on occasion, the head groom was provided with a cottage.
This is just a brief look at
the English Country House. If it has whetted your appetite, then I have
achieved my aim and I hope that those readers domiciled in the United Kingdom
will feel enthused to visit one of the many properties open to the public! We
must support them or risk losing them forever.
