The Great Hall.
It has a magnificent open timber-work roof of carved oak, and the lower portions of the walls are wainscoted; and at one end is a music gallery, the cornice of the panelling and the gallery being supported on a number of richly carved spiral Corinthian columns. The fire-place is remarkably fine, and the window is filled with stained glass. Among the pictures in the Hall are a portrait of the Prince Consort in his Garter robes, presented to the Marquis by the Prince; Dahl’s full-length portraits of George I., George II., and the Queen of George II.; and portraits of Viscount and Viscountess Montague, Earl of Peterborough, Sir Walter Raleigh, &c. From the Hall, passing through Vestibule and Corridor, which contain busts of the Cæsars and other examples of sculpture, and the Ancient Stone Staircase—a part of the original building, shown in the opposite engraving—the Chapel is reached. The Chapel contains, among its other attractions, a fine assemblage of carving, said to be by Grinling Gibbons, and among the best of his productions; an altar-piece by Paul Veronese, the subject being the “Wife of Zebedee;” the seat used by Queen Elizabeth when she worshipped here, and used also for the same purpose by Queen Victoria; and many good paintings. The communion-table and altar-rails are of cedar-wood, and the pulpit and reading-desk of mahogany. The magnificent chimney-piece of various marbles was brought from a convent near Lisbon. The Ante-chapel is also an interesting room. The Chapel-room contains many paintings by Carlo Dolce, Domenichino, Lanfranco, Albert Dürer, Guercino, Andrea Sacchi, Parmigiano, the Carracci, Guido, Teniers, Bassan, Rubens, Carlo Maratti, Bolognese, Giulio Romano, Le Brun, and others.
The Billiard-room, panelled with Norway oak and enriched with a decorated ceiling, is hung with family and other portraits. Among them are Lawrence’s full-length group portraits of the tenth Earl and Countess—Sarah the “village maiden”—and their daughter, the Lady Sophia; several other Earls and Countesses of Exeter, and others of their families; the first Duke and Duchess of Devonshire; Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland; Duchess of Montrose, &c.
We will not, however, go through the various rooms in the order in which they are visited, but select, here and there, an apartment for notice, our object being, not to furnish a guide for the visitor’s use, but to give a general sketch of the mansion and its surroundings.
The Ball-room has its walls and ceiling painted by Laguerre in his best style, the subject of the latter being described as the “History of the Planetary System.” On the east side of the walls is painted “The Battle of Cannæ,” and on the west “The Continence of Scipio;” the others being “The Loves of Antony and Cleopatra,” &c. The Brown Drawing-room, lined with oak, contains many valuable paintings as well as some exquisite examples of Gibbons’s carvings, as also do the Black and Yellow Bed-rooms. In this latter room is the ancient state bed from which it takes its name. This is hung with black satin, ornamented with fine old needlework, and lined with yellow silk. In the windows is some good stained glass, and over the chimney-piece a fine example of Gibbons’s carving. Among the paintings in this and the West and North-west Dining-rooms are pictures by Guercino, old Franck, Libri, Angelica Kauffmann, Rubens, Scilla, Cimabue, Giordano, the Carracci, Elsheimer, Van Balen, Salvator Rosa, Castiglione, G. Bolognese, Van Eyck, Murillo, Claude Lorraine, Domenichino, Mola, Jordaens, and others.
The Ancient Stone Staircase.
In the China Closet, besides several good paintings, a case of ceramic treasures is preserved.