Ancient Mansion-houses.
The most remarkable ancient mansion in this county, in point of antiquity and preservation is Haddon-hall, formerly the seat of the Vernon
family, and now belonging to the Duke of Rutland, whose ancestor,
Sir John Manners acquired it, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by a
marriage with one of the coheiresses of Sir George Vernon. It is situated
on an eminence above the river Wye, and consists of two courts of irregular form, approaching to squares, and surrounded by suits of apartments. The principal entrance is under a tower at the north-west corner
of the lower court; and there is another under a tower at the north-east
corner of the upper court. This building has been erected at various
periods, but no part of it appears to be of a later date than the middle of the
sixteenth century. The chapel and hall are the most ancient parts, having
been built by Sir Richard Vernon, who died in the year 1452. In the windows of the chapel are considerable remains of painted glass, coeval with the
building, and in one of them is the date of 1427. (fn. 1) One of the pillars between
the nave and south aisle is much more ancient, being in the massy style
which had fallen into disuse before the thirteenth century; which indicates
that it was built on the site of a chapel attached to a more ancient mansion,
erected probably by the Avenells, who were predecessors of the Vernons;
there is also a font in the chapel in the same style. The hall, which is
situated between the two courts, is about 35 feet by 28 within the screen,
which separates it from the buttery and other offices; over the door of the
porch, are two shields of arms, one of them being the coat of Vernon
(fretty), the other, those of De Pembruge (barry of six), which Sir Richard
Vernon was entitled to, in right of his mother, the heiress of Sir Fulco de
Pembruge, Lord of Tonge-castle in Shropshire.
The whole of the lower court, and part of the upper, is in the style of
architecture which prevailed in the early part of the sixteenth century,
and was probably erected by Sir Henry Vernon, who flourished in the reign
of King Henry VII. The old drawing-room, and the adjoining bedchamber and dressing-rooms, appear to have been fitted up, and were
probably built by Sir George Vernon in the year 1545; his arms with that
date, the arms of King Henry VIII., and the plume of feathers, with the
initials E. P. being carved in oak over the drawing-room chimney-piece.
The long gallery, 110 feet long, and 17 feet wide, which occupies the
upper floor on the south side of the upper court was probably erected about
the same time; though the oak wainscotting is evidently more modern,
having been erected by Sir John Manners who married the heiress of Sir
George Vernon in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This wainscotting is
enriched with Corinthian pilasters supporting arches, between which are
shields of the arms of Manners empaling those of Vernon: the frieze is
ornamented with boars' heads (the crest of Vernon), roses and thistles. The
great bed-chamber appears to have been fitted up about the same time
as the gallery, it has a deep cornice of plaster, with a frieze ornamented
with boars' heads and peacocks; and over the fire-place is a rude bas-relief
in plaster of Orpheus charming the beasts. The chamber between this
room and the gallery has a similar cornice and frieze.
Figure 30:
South-east view of Haddon Hall
The principal apartments of Haddon-hall are hung with ancient arras,
hanging loose over the doors, which are of the rudest workmanship. The
tapestry of the great bed-chamber is comparatively modern, it is orna
mented with flowers, &c. in a good taste, and figures of monkeys and peacocks (fn. 2) on a white ground.
The late Mr. King has given a detailed description of this building, in
his paper on Ancient Castles, printed "in the sixth volume of the Archæologia (fn. 3) ;at the conclusion of which he observes, that " nothing can convey
a more complete idea of ancient modes of living, than is to be obtained on
this spot. Many great dwellings, which formerly helped to present the
same ideas, are now quite rased and gone; and others are only heaps of
ruins, so far maimed, that it requires much attention to make out or comprehend what they once were, or to understand any thing of their original
plan:" and that " it is much to be wished, by every lover of antiquities,
that this princely habitation may never come so far into favour as to be
modernized; lest the traces of ancient times and manners, which are now so
rarely preserved in this country, any where, should be utterly lost also
here."
Figure 34:
North-east view of Hardwick Hall
Another ancient mansion-house in this county, which has undergone no
alteration since the time of its original erection, is Hardwick-hall, belonging
to the Duke of Devonshire; which exhibits a most complete specimen of
the domestic architecture which prevailed, among the higher ranks, during
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and also of the furniture which was in use
at that period. This building was erected by Elizabeth, Countess of
Shrewsbury, and appears to have been finished about the year 1597. It is
built of stone, and round the top is a parapet of open work, in which the
Countess's initials, E. S., frequently occur. The state apartments are spa
cious and lofty, with numerous large transom windows admitting a profusion of light. The hall is hung with very curious tapestry which appears to be as ancient as the fifteenth century. On one part of it is a
representation of bear-hunting, and in another of otter-hunting. In the
chapel, which is on the first-floor, is a very rich and curious altar-cloth,
30 feet long, hung round the rails of the altar, with figures of saints
under canopies wrought in needle-work. The great dining-room is on the
same floor, over the chimney-piece of which are the arms of the Countess
of Shrewsbury, with the date of 1597. The most remarkable apartments
in this interesting edifice are the state room, or room of audience, as it is
called, and the gallery: the former is 64 feet 9 inches by 33 feet, and 26
feet 4 inches high; at one end of it is a canopy of state, and in another
part a bed, the hangings of which are very ancient. This room is hung
with tapestry on which is represented the story of Ulysses; over this are
figures, rudely executed in plaster, in bas-relief, among which is a representation of Diana, and her nymphs. The gallery is about 170 feet long,
and 26 wide, extending the whole length of the eastern side of the house;
and hung with tapestry, on a part of which is the date of 1478. It is pro
bable that this, as well as many other articles of the furniture of this mansion was removed from the old hall at Hardwick, or from Chatsworth when
that splendid edifice was rebuilt a century ago. (fn. 4)
At a small distance from Hardwick-hall, are considerable remains of a
more ancient hall, which appears to have been a very magnificent edifice;
and from the style of its architecture could not have been built any great
length of time before the erection of the present mansion. It is now in a
ruinous state, but one of the rooms remains entire, which is 55 feet 6 inches
by 30 feet 6 inches, and 24 feet 6 inches high: it is floored with terras;
the sides are fitted up to a certain height with oak wainscotting ornamented
with Ionic pilasters, over which are ornaments in plaster, consisting of
two rows of arches. Over the large stone chimney-piece are colossal
figures one on each side, in Roman armour, reaching to the cornice;
from which this room has obtained the appellation of " The Giants'
Chamber."
Barlborough-hall, the seat of C. H. Rodes, Esq., is a handsome mansionhouse of the age of Queen Elizabeth, having been built in her reign by
Francis Rodes, one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas. The principal
front of this house retains its original appearance, having projecting bows
terminating in octagonal embattled turrets, and large transom windows.
The inside has been modernized, but in one of the lower rooms taken out
of the great chamber, is a very magnificent stone chimney-piece, enriched
with fluted Doric pillars supporting statues of justice and religion, and
coats of arms and various ornaments in bas-relief. In the upper part are
the arms of Rodes, with these inscriptions:—Francis Rodes, serviens d'ne
Regine ad legem." — "Anno D'ni 1584. ætatis suæ 50." In the lower
part are two shields of the arms of Rodes with different impalements;
the one supported by a judge on the dexter side, inscribed " Franciscus
Rodes," and a lady on the sinister side, inscribed " Elizabeth Sandford:"
the other, with similar supporters, inscribed " Franciscus Rodes — Maria
Charkton" At the bottom is this inscription, " Constitutus Justiciarius de
Banco Communi, 30 Eliz" On the sides are other inscriptions more particularly describing the wives and their issue. The buff coat, sword, &c.
of Sir Francis Rodes, worn in the time of Charles I., are preserved in this
house. (fn. 5)
The manor-house of South-Winfield, a very splendid and spacious edifice,
erected by Ralph Lord Cromwell, in the reign of King Henry VI., is now
a mere ruin; having been suffered to go to decay soon after the civil war
in the seventeenth century, and a great part of it having been taken down
since for the materials. It appears originally to have consisted of two
courts, surrounded by buildings. The remains of the north side of the
principal court, shew that when complete, it must have been a very beautiful edifice: these consist of a porch, and a bow with three large Gothic
windows, the arches of which are slightly pointed. The porch and bowwindow are both embattled, having a fascia of quatrefoils and roses running
immediately beneath the battlements. The arch of the door-way of the
porch is very slightly pointed, and enriched with quatrefoils; on the battlement over it, is a shield with the arms of Cromwell. (fn. 6)