“The entrance to the house is in the middle of the west front, under a vaulted portico, which admits a carriage to the steps that lead to the hall, a spacious and lofty room, occupying the height of two stories, with a vaulted ceiling, embellished with the Grosvenor arms, &c. in the knots that cover the junction of the ribs. The pavement is of variegated marbles in Gothic compartments. On each of the sides is an ornamented marble chimney-piece, and four niches with pedestals and canopies. The niches, it is probable, will hereafter be filled with statues, and the walls covered with historical paintings; for which no family can furnish more ample materials, as the heads of it were engaged in most of the military transactions of the English in the chivalrous ages. At the end of the hall, a screen of five arches supports a gallery, that connects the bed-chambers on the north side of the house with those on the south, which are separated by the elevation of the hall. Under this gallery, two open arches to the right and left conduct to the grand staircase, the state bed-room, and the second staircase; and opposite to the door of the hall is the entrance to the saloon. The grand staircase is highly ornamented with niches and canopies, and with tracery under the landings, and, in the principal ceiling, which is crowned with a double sky-light of various-coloured glass. The steps of the second staircase, with its tracery and balustrade, are all of cast-iron. The state bed-room is lighted by two painted windows, with tracery and armorial bearings, and contains a magnificent bed. On entering the saloon, the eye is struck with the splendour of three lofty painted windows, which contain, in six divisions, the portraits of the Conqueror’s nephew, Gilbert le Grosvenor, the founder of the Grosvenor family, and his lady; of William the Conqueror, with whom Gilbert came into England; the Bishop of Bayeux, uncle to the Conqueror; the heiress of the house of Eaton; and Sir Robert le Grosvenor; who distinguished himself in the wars of Edward the Third, and more particularly by his legal contest with Sir Richard le Scroope, for the family arms—azure, one bend, or; in which Sir Richard gained his point. Sir Robert being obliged to add to them un bordure argent—objecting to which, he was allowed to bear the arms of his relation, Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, azure, a garbe, or, which is the family coat to this day. These windows are from cartoons by Mr. Tresham and others. The saloon is a square of thirty feet, formed into an octagon by arches across the angles, which give the vaultings a beautiful form. The chimney-piece is of statuary marble, and opposite to it is an organ, both richly decorated. On the left of the saloon is an ante-room, that leads to the dining-room, and on the right another that leads to the drawing-room, both decorated, but in a subordinate degree to the state rooms, with which they communicate. The windows of these rooms are glazed with a light mosaic tracery, and exhibit the portraits of the six earls of Chester, who, after Hugh Lupus, governed Cheshire as a county palatine, till Henry the Third bestowed the title on his son Edward; since which time the eldest sons of the kings of England have always been Earls of Chester.
“The dining-room, situated at the northern extremity of the east front, is about fifty feet long, and thirty feet wide, exclusive of a bow containing five arched windows; the opening of which is thirty feet. In the middle window is the portrait of Hugh Lupus. This portrait, with the six Earls of Chester in the ante-room windows, are the work of Messrs. Davenport, of Staffordshire, from cartoons by Mr. Singleton. The ceiling is of bold and rich tracery, with coats of arms in proper colours, and a large ornamented pendant for a chandelier. At the end, opposite to the entrance, is an arched recess, containing the sideboard, and on each side of it is a large niche, with its pedestal and canopy. The opposite end of the room has a similar recess, under which is the door from the ante-room, and similar niches on each side of it. Other niches and canopies, of smaller size, ornament the jambs of the arched recess and the bow.
“The drawing-room, which is at the southern extremity of the east front, is of the same form and dimensions as the dining-room; with the addition of a large window that looks to the south, and commands a view of the groves and fertile meadows of Eaton, with the village and spire of Oldford above them. All the windows of this room are adorned with heads and figures of the ancestors of the family; among which are the portraits of the present Earl and Countess, in a beautiful brown chiaro-oscuro, executed by Messrs. Bachelor and Silk, of Newman-street, and do credit to the talents of those ingenious artists. The niches, canopies, and other ornaments, are the same in situation as those of the dining-room, but of a lighter and richer design. The ceiling is a piece of embroidery of the nicest materials and workmanship; where all the coats borne by the Grosvenor family are blazoned in their proper colours, and also the arms of Egerton, Earl of Wilton, the father of the present Countess Grosvenor. The arms of Egerton appear in various parts of the house, and will mark the date of this fabric to future antiquaries, if all other memorials should be forgotten or destroyed. The colour of the saloon is blue, the ante dining-room of light blue, the dining-room of a bright scarlet, the ante drawing-room is hung with light blue satin, the drawing-room with crimson velvet: the curtains and draperies are of crimson and gold satin, with gold tassels and fringes, disposed in a striking and picturesque manner by Messrs. Gillow, under the direction of Joseph Kay, Esq. architect to the post-office. All the other furniture of these apartments is the work of the same artificers, and appropriate to the style of the house. The vistas from the dining-room, through the two ante-rooms, and the saloon to the south window of the drawing-room, and in the opposite direction from the drawing-room to the dining-room, terminating with the splendidly-furnished sideboard of plate, perhaps cannot be exceeded in novelty and variety by any thing of the kind in England.
“The library is in the centre of the south front. The ceiling and the large bow-window, with their ornaments, are in the same style as the rooms already described, but less rich. The book-cases are of English oak, with arches of tracery, buttresses, pinnacles, and battlements. The sitting-room of the Countess is the only room on this floor with square-headed windows and a flat ceiling, and is an apartment of singular beauty.
“The middle window of the saloon opens to a vaulted cloister, occupying the space between the dining and drawing-rooms, in the east front, which affords a sheltered walk in all weathers. A flight of steps leads from the cloister to a spacious terrace, three hundred and fifty or sixty feet long, laid out in gravel walks and beds of flowers; from whence other steps at each end and in the middle descend to the garden and pleasure grounds, which are disposed with much taste. The view from the terrace is rich and various.
“Our limits will not admit of a particular description of the offices and stables, though both are deserving of attention. The latter surround a court of 160 feet by 100, and are decorated with battlements and turrets, and a clock tower, supported by flying buttresses, in a style of Gothic architecture plainer than that of the house.
“Eaton Hall and the buildings here described, with their furniture, were designed by and executed under the direction of Mr. Porden, of Berners-street.” [266]
Having been highly gratified with the inspection of this noble edifice and grounds, we returned to Chester by the side of the Dee, a pleasant walk of about three miles; amply prepared to do justice to the hospitable board of a kind friend. Finding but little conversation to be obtained from us, but on the subject of Eaton Hall, he kindly furnished us with the preceding account, which he assured us had been corrected, and was the best extant.
Hugh Lupus, before spoken of, was appointed by William the Conqueror, first Earl of Chester; which was erected into a county palatine, enjoying a sovereign jurisdiction, having parliaments and distinct courts of law. There is still kept in the British Museum the identical sword with which Lupus was invested with his dignity; by virtue of which the Earls of Chester were created sword-bearers of England, and as such were accustomed to officiate at the coronation of the kings of England. On the blade of this sword is the following inscription—Hugo comes Cestriæ.
Chester is famed for the elegant manners of its inhabitants; and no city in the kingdom can, I believe, boast of more polished or agreeable society. Our regret at leaving it was so great, that I should recommend the tourist who carries with him letters of introduction to Chester, to make arrangement for three or four days or a week’s stay at this engaging place.