Traces of colour are found on the fenestella of the piscina, on the circular columns of the south arcade, and on the brackets near the altar.
Steps to State Apartments.
Leaving the chapel, the visitor will cross the court-yard to the Banqueting-Hall; but he will notice on his way a flight of stone steps leading from the court-yard, near the doorway of the ante-chapel, up to the state apartments, so that the family could attend the chapel without passing through the hall, and could also, with their guests, be admitted at other times to their suite of rooms.
In this first court-yard he will also do well to take especial notice of the beautiful and intricate designs on the lead-work of the heads of the spouts—many of which are filled with delicate Gothic tracery—and the gargoyles, or water-spouts, some of which are grotesquely carved in figures of curious character, and some of them of uncouth shape. One or two of these we have engraved on another page.
Entering the open doorway of the advanced porch, which, with a wide passage adjoining, forms the way through to the inner, or second court-yard, the visitor will notice, standing on the stone bench on his left hand, a fine Roman altar which, many years ago, was dug up in the grounds. It bears the inscription,—
Roman Altar, Haddon Hall
DEO
MARTI
BRACIACÆ
OSITTIVS
CAECILIANS
PRAEFECT
COH I AQVITANO
——V——S
which may be rendered, “To the God Mars, Braciaca, Osittius, Caecilianus, Prefect of the first Cohort of the Aquitani, in performance of a vow”—the term Braciacæ: as applied to Mars being singular.