“Cha: Houghton for rating, casting up, and engrossing the Books of the said Building for the Auditor—£5.”
Decorative Carvings in “the King’s Gallery.”
THE oak cornice and the oak doors of this gallery, especially the beautiful architraves of the doors, are among the finest specimens anywhere existing of Wren’s decorative art, designed by him and carried out under the superintendence of Gibbons. Relating to this work we find the following item in the accounts for the years 1691 to 1696:
“To Grinling Gibbons, carver, for worke done in the new Gallery building, in the King’s great and Little Closet, in three Roomes under the King’s apartment, in the King’s Gallery, and other places about the said Pallace—£839 0s. 4d.”
In other respects the appearance of this room has been much altered; for the oak panelling, which appears originally to have entirely covered its walls was removed, it would seem, in the reign of George I. or of George II.; when also the ceiling, which was originally plain, was painted as we see it now.
Chimney-Piece, Map and Dial.
AT the same time a new chimney-piece was inserted. Part of the original over-mantel, however, of the time of William III., still remains, especially a very curious map of the north-west of Europe, showing the names of various towns, especially in the north of France, the Netherlands, and the British Isles. Relating to it we have discovered, in the course of our researches among the old parchment rolls in the Record Office, the following entry, dating from about, the year 1694:
“To Robt Norden for his paines in drawing a map for the chimney-piece and for attending the painters—£5.”
Round the circumference of the map are the points of the compass; and an old dial-hand or pointer, still remains, which was actuated by an iron rod connected with a vane, still existing above the roof. This enabled King William to know from which quarter the wind was blowing; whether, therefore, it was safe for him, with his asthma, to venture out of doors, or whether the wind was favourable for wafting him away from this hated climate to his own dearly-loved country of Holland.
It was this dial which so greatly interested Peter the Great, when he privately visited William III. in this palace in 1698, being admitted by a back door. “It was afterwards known,” says Macaulay, but unfortunately without giving his authority, “that he took no notice of the fine pictures, with which the palace was adorned. But over the chimney in the royal sitting-room was a plate which, by an ingenious machinery, indicated the direction of the wind; and with this plate he was in raptures.”