The entrance into the apartments is through a handsome vestibule, supported by columns of the Ionic order, with some antique bustos in several niches; from hence you proceed to the great staircase, which is finely painted with several fabulous stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses: In the dome Phaeton is represented desiring Apollo to grant him leave to drive the chariot of the sun; in large compartments on the staircase, are the transformation of Phaeton’s sisters into poplar trees, with this inscription, Magnis tamen excidit Ausis; and Cycnus changed into a swan. In several parts of the ceiling are represented the signs of the Zodiac supported by the winds, with baskets of flowers beautifully disposed: at the corners are the four Elements each express’d by a variety of figures. Aurora is also represented with her nymphs in waiting, giving water to her horses. In several parts of the staircase are the figures of Music, Painting, and the other sciences. The whole is beautifully disposed and heightened with gold, and from this staircase you have a view of the back stairs painted with the story of Meleager and Atalanta.
I. Having ascended the staircase, you enter first into the Queen’s guard chamber, which is compleatly furnished with guns, pistols, bayonets, pikes, swords, &c. beautifully ranged and disposed into various forms, as the star and garter, the royal cypher, and other ornaments. On the cieling is Britannia in the person of Queen Catharine of Portugal, consort to King Charles II. seated on a globe, bearing the arms of England and Portugal, with the four grand divisions of the earth Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, attended by deities, making their several offerings. On the outer part of this beautiful group, are the signs of the Zodiac, and in different parts of the cieling are Minerva, Mars, Venus, and other heathen deities, with Zephyrs, Cupids, and other embellishments properly disposed; over the chimney is a portrait of Prince George of Denmark on horseback, by Dahl; with a view of shipping by Vandewell.
II. You next enter the Queen’s presence chamber, where Queen Catharine is represented attended by Religion, Prudence, Fortitude and other Virtues: she is under a curtain spread by Time, and supported by Zephyrs, while Fame sounds the happiness of Britain; below, Justice is driving away Envy, Sedition, and other evil genii. The room is hung with tapestry, containing the history of the beheading of St. Paul, and the persecution of the primitive Christians; and adorned with the pictures of Judith and Holofernes, by Guido Reni; a Magdalen, by Sir Peter Lelly; and a Prometheus by young Palma.
III. On entering the Queen’s audience chamber, you see the cieling painted with Britannia in the person of Queen Catharine, in a carr drawn by swans to the temple of Virtue, attended by Flora, Ceres, Pomona, &c. with other decorations heightened with gold. The canopy is of fine English velvet, set up by Queen Anne; and the tapestry was made at Coblentz in Germany, and presented to King Henry VIII. The pictures hung up in this room, are, a Magdalen by moonlight, by Carracci; St. Stephen stoned, by Rotterman; and Judith and Holofernes, by Guido Reni.
IV. On the cieling of the ball room King Charles II. is represented giving freedom to Europe by the figures of Perseus and Andromeda; on the shield of Perseus is inscribed Perseus Britannicus, and over the head of Andromeda is wrote Europa Liberata, and Mars attended by the celestial deities, offers the olive branch. On the coving of this chamber is the story of Perseus and Andromeda, the four seasons, and the signs of the Zodiac, the whole heightened with gold. The tapestry, which was made at Brussels, and set up by King Charles II. represents the seasons of the year; and the room is adorned with the following pictures, the Roman Charity, after Tintoret; Duns Scotus, by Spagnoletto; a Madona, by Titian; Fame, by Palmegiani, the Arts and Sciences, also by Palmegiani; and Pan and Syrinx by Stanick.
V. The next room you enter is the Queen’s drawing room, where on the cieling is painted the assembly of the gods and goddesses, the whole intermixed with cupids, flowers, &c. and heightened with gold. The room is hung with tapestry representing the twelve months of the year, and adorned with the pictures of Lot and his daughters, after Angelo; Lady Digby, wife of Sir Kenelm Digby, by Vandyke; a sleeping Venus, by Poussin; a family in the character of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, by de Bray; a Spanish family, after Titian; and a flower piece by Varelst.
VI. In the Queen’s bed-chamber, the bed of state is rich flowered velvet made in Spitalfields, by order of Queen Anne, and the tapestry, which represents the harvest season, was also made at London, by Poyntz. The cieling is painted with the story of Diana and Endymion, and the room is adorned with the pictures of the Holy family, by Raphael; Herod’s cruelty by Giulio Romano; and Judith and Holofernes, by Guido.
VII. The next is the room of Beauties, so named from the portraits of the most celebrated beauties in the reign of King Charles II. they are fourteen in number, viz. Lady Ossory, the Duchess of Somerset, the Duchess of Cleveland, Lady Gramont, the Countess of Northumberland, the Duchess of Richmond, Lady Birons, Mrs. Middleton, Lady Denham and her sister, Lady Rochester, Lady Sunderland, Mrs. Dawson, and Mrs. Knott. These are all original paintings drawn to great perfection by Sir Peter Lelly.
VIII. In the Queen’s dressing room are the following portraits, Queen Henrietta Maria, wife to King Charles I. Queen Mary, when a child, and Queen Catharine; these three are all done by Vandyke; the Duchess of York, mother to Queen Mary and Queen Anne, by Sir Peter Lelly.
In this room is a closet wherein are several paintings, and in particular a portrait of the Countess of Desmond, who is said to have lived to within a few days of an hundred and fifty years of age; also a portrait of Erasmus and other learned men. In this closet is likewise the banner of France annually delivered on the second of August by the Duke of Marlborough, by which he holds Blenheim house built at Woodstock in Oxfordshire in the reign of Queen Anne, as a national reward to that great General for his many glorious victories over the French.