HISTORY - DRAWING ROOM 1550s Charlecote New house was built between 1551 and 1558 in the shape of a half letter H. The Great Hall was where most activities involving the family, the servants and the people of the wider estate took place; at one time it had a Minstrel Gallery. It is likely that the area with the drawing room was the family wing off the great hall, as a development of the medieval version of the solar off the great hall. The domestic areas, kitchen, buttery, pantry, would be in the opposite wing. There would have been smaller mullion windows similar to what we have in the attics now, with small panes of glass fastened into stone which made them very draughty. The windows had views into the Green Court so the residents could watch visitors arriving. The spiral stairs were one of the original 4 staircases. The one off the Drawing Room only went up to the first floor where it led to a Long Gallery. When it was decided to re-arrange the upstairs a new spiral staircase was installed, this staircase not only went up the full height of the house but for ease of getting into the rooms the spiral was reversed. The old stair that was taken out was made of wood as is the current staircase. If you go up the Grand Staircase and open the door on the landing you will see another of the original stairs also made of wood. Originally the ground floor was used for bed chambers but running into each other without corridors. There were probably 4 rooms judging by the arrangement of external chimneys. Both pairs of rooms were likely to have fireplaces angled into the corners back to back with a shared chimney. These rooms could well have extended into the space now occupied by the Grand Staircase. The first floor Long Gallery was for exercise with the top floor as servants accommodation. 1572 Queen Elizabeth I stayed at Charlecote during her two nights visit while travelling from Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester's castle at Kenilworth to Sir William Compton's mansion at Compton Wynyates. She is thought to have slept in a small room which would have been part of what is now the drawing room. 1574 The porch was added, displaying the Royal Arms in recognition of Elizabeth's visit. With this porch the house took on an E shape.

1760s 'Batchelor' George Lucy remodelled much of the house. It took on the appearance of ‘smart new Georgian interiors’. Between 1763 and 1769 the old wainscoting (probably something like linenfold panelling) was removed from principal family rooms, the drawing room and the dining room and replaced. The work was done by William Hiron

brother of David Hiron, well regarded local mason/architects, but using Norway Oak which is softer than English Oak and would not last as long. The mullion windows would have been replaced with larger sash windows. Presumably this work also included alterations to the Long Gallery. The cost of this work was £186-12s-4d. George bought the white marble chimneypiece now in the drawing room. It was supplied by Messrs Gilliam Taylor of Piccadilly and Hyde Park. There would have been some re-arrangement of the chimneys and fireplaces to accommodate four rooms becoming two with centrally placed fireplaces.(See separate sketch) Batchelor George liked to entertain most weeks when he was at Charlecote, it is possible he used the Great Hall. 1820s A quantity of amber silk damask wall covering was bought from Trollope & Sons for 1 guinea a yard. It was most likely bought by George Hammond Lucy before his marriage, it seems it was stored for future use. The impression is given that Mary Elizabeth was responsible for the alterations in the 1820s. This is in line with the current view perpetrated by the media that women are leaders in home improvement and men take a back seat if they are interested at all. In the 1700 and 1800s it was rather different. Educated, cultivated men such as George Hammond Lucy would be likely to be minor connoisseurs, men of taste of the period and of course very much in control of the purse strings. It is perhaps more likely that the original ideas for alterations were George Hammond's and of course, he bought the items from the Fonthill sale before he married Mary Elizabeth. No doubt Mary Elizabeth enhanced the ideas as they developed. 1830s According to Sir Brian Ramsay Fairfax Lucy, Sir Edmund's father - this space was now a drawing room which was used by guests who could descend the staircase from the first floor bedroom, while most of the family activities continued to be carried on in the library. 1840s Mary Elizabeth begins to catalogue the pictures in the drawing room. It seems likely this was after George Hammond died. 1850s The whole wing was remodelled for a second time probably involving the re-building of the exterior walls. This was done by Gibson. The sash windows were replaced by the present larger mullions, there are windows on the exterior-for balance of appearances-which are completely blocked on the interior. The woodwork and the coloured and gilded ceiling were installed and the amber silk, carefully stitched together and hung

directly onto the walls. The room was furnished as George Hammond and Mary Elizabeth had intended with a number of pieces George Hammond had bought from the Fonthill Abbey sale. These pieces could well have remained unpacked for 30 years! When the work was complete the room came into use. The ladies would retire here after dinner when the gentlemen were in the billiard room. It is said that if a servant was required they would have to come from the servant’s hall along the upstairs corridor and down the newel stairs. When the ladies wished to leave the room they would have to go up the stairs-in crinolines- and go through the ebony bedroom as they would not wish to disturb the men in the billiard room. There is a cupboard secreted in the shutter space by the window nearest the front wall-for a chamber pot or for hiding the alcohol? 1880s Many of the valuable paintings were sold to raise funds to address the problem of mounting debts. It is said Henry Spencer arranged the sale without consulting his Mother Mary Elizabeth and the paintings were taken away before she got up one morning. These debts had been incurred with the re-building of the North Wing and Charlecote Church by Mary Elizabeth after the death of George Hammond. It seems these debts were not finally paid off until the days of Sir Montgomery and Sir Brian. 1984 The amber silk had become brittle and begun to festoon so it was replaced with an exact replica from Richard Humphries of Castle Hedingham in Essex. A special harness was built to accommodate the unusual pattern width of 29 inches. The pattern is called Braintree Basket. Silk manufacture in Essex dates well back into the nineteenth century when a lot of the established companies based in Spitalfields moved into Essex. Many of these companies owed their origins to Huguenots fleeing to England from France to escape religious persecution. It is interesting the silk was ordered from Essex rather than Coventry which would have been much nearer. This time the silk was hung on batons to improve air flow behind it but it is again deteriorating and badly affected by moulds. There are curtains which have been conserved but they are not hung because they could be contaminated by the state of the silk. They are stored beneath the ebony bed. Mary Elizabeth's picture catalogue was discovered by Sir Edmund Lucy. The remaining pictures shown to have been in the drawing room were rehung there.

King Henry VIII (1491–1547) After Hans Holbein the younger (Augsburg

1497/8 - London 1543)

Oil on panel. Inscribed in round spandrels, top left: HE, top right: VIII, bottom left: REX,

bottom right: AO. Bought by George Lucy from Mr. Emmerson

in 1824 for £50.

Paintings – West Wall

Paintings North Wall

Italian Landscape with two Horsemen and Figures on a road

It is reputed to be by Jan Van Asselyn (1610-1652), a Dutch Golden Age Painter. He was a French Huguenot from Dieppe who trained under Van de Velde, a specialist in sea-scapes. He travelled in France and Italy but died in Amsterdam after befriending Rembrandt and being painted by him. It seems he had a withered hand which must have been a hindrance to a painter. He was one of the first Dutch painters who painted in the landscape style of Claude Lorraine. There is a landscape in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam in a similar style to our picture

Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor) (1516–1558) After Hans Eworth

(Antwerp c.1525 – ?London after 1578)

Oil painting on panel, which bears the date 1556. Inscribed, left and right of her head:

MARIA DEI GRACIA / ANGLIE REGINA/ AETATIS/41/1556.

Left to Charlecote by the Rev. John Lucy 1874.

Samson Pulling Down the Temple Venetian early 16th century

One of a pair of panels bought by George Lucy in 1839 from Samuel Woodburn for

£1,500. Paired with ‘Samson tearing asunder the Lion’.

Ascribed to Titian - unproved

Landscape with Callisto and Satyr Cornelis van Poelenburgh

(Utrecht 1594/5 - Utrecht 1667)

Oil painting on canvas. Bought by George Lucy in 1826 from

Buchanan for £36.

'The Prayer' (La Prière) After Jean-Bapiste Greuze (Tournus 1725 – Paris 1805)

A 19th Century weak copy of a composition by Greuze.

Originally purchased, by Henry Spencer Lucy, at the sale of Rev John Lucy (his uncle), 1875 for £54.12s 0d. Later bought at Christie’s, 1st

June 1945, lot 29: £45

A Gallant with a Flute

Niccolò Frangipani (1555– 1600) Originally bought at Mrs Piozzi's posthumous sale 1836 by George Lucy for £31.10s.0d. Mrs Piozzi had been Hester Thrale, confidante of

Dr Johnson, who had been a near neighbour of the Williams family in North Wales as Mary

Elizabeth was growing up. Bought at Christie's, 1st June, 1945, lot 26: £65

Bust of the Christ Child

After Carlo Dolci (Florence 1616 – Florence 1686)

The Christ Child, facing, and wearing a blue gown over a pinkish-red tunic, looks

at the viewer with a supplicating expression.

Bought by George Lucy in 1824 from Emerson for £150.

Lord Ambrose Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick, KG (c.1528-1590)

circa 1563, British (English) School. Ambrose Dudley was an older brother of Robert, Earl of Leicester, favourite

of Queen Elizabeth 1. According to Mary Elizabeth Lucy the

portrait was purchased by her husband from Mr Hume and came from Holland

House.

Samson tearing asunder the Lion Venetian 16th century

One of a pair of panels bought by George Lucy in 1839 from Samuel Woodburn for

£1,500. Paired with ‘Samson Pulling Down the Temple’.

Ascribed to Titian - unproved

French Dressed Boy

Artist Unknown

William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland 1721-1765

After Joseph Highmore (London 1692-Canterbury 1780)

As a boy, wearing the Robe of the

Order of Bath, circa 1730

The Hon. Alice Caroline Helen Buchan, Lady Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy

(d1993 at Charlecote) By John Morley b Beckenham 1942.

Daughter of John Buchan, novelist, author of “The 39 Steps”, Governor-General of Canada and the first Baron of Tweedsmuir. Wife of Sir Brian Fulke Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy, 5th Baronet, mother of Sir Edmund, the present Baronet. Painted in 1972,

she is standing at the gates of Charlecote House gardens

EAST WALL

Bay Window

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FURNITURE

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Table

An Italian circular table with pierced brass gallery on walnut pedestal; on stand with square ebonised

base; micro mosaic top with gilt band decoration. A square band of malachite enclosing red and black

centre with five small views of monuments of Ancient Rome. These micro mosaics are made up

from tiny glass tesserae (oblong pieces). The inventory of 1891 lists it as being in the Billiard

Room.

Pietra Dura cabinet on stand,

“A superb ebony commode, with panels of the fine ancient Florence Pietra Comesse, architectural centre and wings richly

ornamented with ormolu in the finest taste, 5’3” long”.

The cabinet was originally made in Florence (c.1690). Acquired 1823 at Fonthill sale 195gns 10s. The oak stand of eight legs was added to

the cabinet by Beckford. The cupboards housed the chamber pots used by the

gentlemen during the evening.

Chinese glass top lacquer table Lacquer table recorded in a diary

as being in the Billiard Room in 1891.

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Furniture

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17th century East Indian settee

Acquired in London in 1827. Inlaid with ivory flowers, carved and surmounted with double

headed birds on turned stretchers and castors.

Ebony seat furniture was among the most highly prized antiques during the first half of the 19th

century and was thought to date from the days of Queen Elizabeth I. This cult was apparently

inaugurated by Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill in the mid 18th century.

A pair of carved East Indian ebony chairs

A smaller carved East Indian

ebony chair

Cabinet on Stand

One of a pair of cabinets on stands described by Mary Elizabeth Lucy as ‘A pair of fine Buhl

and tortoiseshell cabinets, enclosed by a plate of glass folding doors, richly mounted in ormolu and ebony, and surmounted by a black marble slab; stands of ebony, with carved and twisted

legs, ormolu mountings, and slabs of Verde antique.

Acquired in 1823 from the Fonthill sale, lot no,s 1297 and 1298, 160 guineas 17s.

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Firescreen

A carved gilt tripod fire screen with engraved glass panel and a

pole of brass.

Lanterloo Table

Burr walnut round Loo table on pedestal, carved with acanthus

leaves and with carved tripod feet c1825

The table was used for playing Loo, there are three forms of the game, 3 card Loo, 5 card Loo and Irish Loo.

Tete a tete

A teak carved Indian-work tete-a-tete chair covered in crimson

silk plush. This was used primarily for

unmarried couples who, though chaperoned, were not allowed to

sit too closely together

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Chair

One of a pair of ebonised beech cane library chairs with brass

finials and green leather squabs.

Table

A table, described on page 128 of 'The Lucy's of Charlecote', by Mary Elizabeth Lucy, 1861, as 'A rare

and fine circular slab of malachite superbly mounted on an ebony standard of antique model, enriched

with chased bronze and ormolu, as a dejeuner table'. Acquired from the Fonthill Abbey sale in 1823, lot

no. 1524, 70 guineas. Malachite is a green mineral – copper carbonate.

Cabinet

A Pietre Dure cabinet on stand, acquired in 1842. The oak stand with four legs was made in the 1840’s presumably to match the stand

on the Beckford cabinet. It has an architectural centre with pink marble columns

with ormolu bases and capitals surmounted by the Lucy boar’s head in the pediment It has eight drawers and is inlaid with coloured birds

and flowers.

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Harp

Mary Elizabeth Lucy’s harp was made in 1844 by Sebastian and Pierre Erard (no 5618). It is unusual in

that it has pedals on both sides. A visitor in June 1999 explained that a possible reason for the pedals is that the harp is tuned in C sharp and the pedals were used

for the ‘Hard and soft’ sounds. It also has coloured strings to denote the changes in the octaves. MEL was

an accomplished harpist and received lessons from John Thomas whom she met whilst staying at

Llanover, home of Sir Benjamin and Lady Hall in Wales. John Thomas was a frequent visitor to

Charlecote and was appointed harpist to Queen Victoria. This is the last of 3 harps MEL owned. Her

earliest was bought as a wedding gift by her husband and is still in the family wing.

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Music stand

Painted wood music stand on a brass pole in the form of an

arrow, lit by two candle stands. Acquired in Paris in 1843, according to a Lucy diary.

Stool

Ebonised wood and gilt tripod stool with ormolu feet, delicately embroidered, possibly by Mary

Elizabeth Lucy, with a mouse among strawberries.

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Boulle/Buhl Cabinets

There are two pairs of Boulle (Buhl) cabinets in the room, two on stands (7) and two freestanding (18).

Boulle/Buhl cabinets were made in pairs-both of our pairs are ‘pairs’. The originals of this type were made by Andre-Charles Boulle (11 November 1642-28

February 1732) for the court of Louis X1V in France in the period 1670-1710. Boulle was the French ebeniste or cabinet maker who is generally considered to be the

pre-eminemt artist in the field of marquetry, even ‘the most remarkable of all French cabinetmakers’. His fame in marquetry led to his name being given to the fashion he

perfected of inlaying brass and tortoiseshell, known as Boulle. The furniture was very intricate and needless to say extremely expensive. The ones we

have are later, probably made in England as it became fashionable in the very late C18th and early C19th with mode for French furniture. It was made in the same way but

known in England as Buhl. To produce the veneer two thin sheets of brass and tortoiseshell were glued and clamped together and a pattern cut out using a kind of jigsaw. This gave the main pattern in both materials and the background in both materials. As both brass and tortoiseshell were expensive and the cutting process very demanding of skill, all the

pieces were used. The sheets were separated and used to veneer a pair of complementing cabinets; one item was made as the ‘premiere partie’ with the main

pattern in brass and tortoiseshell as background; the other item was the ’contra partie’ with the main pattern in tortoiseshell and the background in brass.

17 Looking Glass

Carved gilt wood over-mantle looking glass.

Known to be in the Drawing Room in 1891

Carpet A carpet on pink ground with

maroon trellis pattern and floral border of dark blue ground with

white lilies.

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5 6 5

Ceramics

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3 4 4 3

9 10 11 9

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Vase

An early 18th century Chinese spreading mouth bulbous vase, in deep blue transmutation glaze,

streaked with sang de boeuf; on wood base. Described by Anthony du Boulay, October 1986, as

being of flambé decoration. Bought from Fonthill sale in 1823. It was bought new by W Beckford early in

19th century.

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2 Vase

Described on page 129 of 'The Lucy's of Charlecote' as 'a pair of rare oriental vases, shaped and coloured

from the lotus plant, richly mounted as potpourris, on water gilt pedestals, with perforated gilt tops.' These stand on ebony consoles. Described by Anthony du

Boulay in October 1986 as being of flambé decoration. The pair of vases were acquired in 1823 from the Fonthill sale.They were bought new by W

Beckford in the early 19th century.

3 Tazza Chinese, c. 1800.

A tazza is a shallow saucer style dish that sits on a central stem. It describes vessels used for eating,

drinking or for display. These are a matching pair of enamel tazzas with light blue and white flowers on dark blue ground and with

lobed ledges.

CERAMICS

Dish Chinese, c.1800.

One of a pair of enamel dishes with

white flowers on a dark blue crackled ground, the undersides turquoise.

5 Jugs

Pair of Japanese bottles with spouts, most rare and curious, in oriental china, brown with white raised birds and plants, with stopper and chain of silver gilt. These

are the very bottles that the burglars, in May 1850, took the stoppers and chains off, because they found they

were silver. On the capture of one of the robbers they were found in his pocket, and are once again on the old

bottles in their right place. Described by Anthony du Boulay, October 1986, as Ming bottles, late 17th century.

Kendi shape. Acquired 1823 from the Fonthill Sale, Lot No. 1269

6 Bowl 18th century Celdon vase, the

interior with red floral decorations and gilt bronze

mounts.

7 Vase

Sevres blue vase with ormolu

mounts and handles. Described by Anthony du Boulay, October 1986, as being 'bleu nouveau', Louis XVI;

the cover is missing.

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Bowls

A pair of blue bowls with ormolu mounts, ring handles and stands. Described by

Anthony du Boulay, October 1986, as early 18th century, Chinese, powder blue with Louis XVI mounts. Originally owned by

William Beckford and purchased in the 1823 sale from Fonthill

9 Bowls

A pair of enamel bowls, floral decoration on green ground interior, gilt fishes on dark

blue ground on exterior. Chinese, c.1800.

10 Incense Burner

A pair of Japanese incense burners described on page 131 of 'The Lucys of

Charlecote' by Mary Elizabeth Lucy, 1861, as 'two black japan pearl casolette-shaped

baskets, with gilt handles and covers; very rare specimens...'

Acquired in 1823 at the Fonthill sale

11 Vases

Three Wedgwood vases. Described by Anthony du Boulay, October 1986, as

'agate ware' with black basalt bases and gilded masks and swags.

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One of five pieces of carved marble

and china. Date unknown.

Items in the left Boulle/Buhl Cabinet

Small seated white china cherub.

Date unknown.

Small china basket-style vase.

Date unknown.

Small white mug inscribed

in gold with 'Original Amor'. Date unknown.

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The cabinet contains the Wedding Headdress that is made from fabric.

Christina Cameron Campbell’s bridal headdress and some of the bridesmaid’s flowers from her marriage to Henry Spencer Lucy in 1865.

The cabinet also contains a collection of small china objects.

Items in the right Boulle/Buhl Cabinet

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The cabinet contains Wedding Headdress that are made from Fabrics. Caroline

Lucy’s bridal headdress and some of the bridesmaid’s flowers from her marriage to Captain Pawlett Lane in 1859 are on the top shelf.

At the bottom of the cabinet is holds wedding favours from the marriage of Lord Brooke (son of the Earl of Warwick) to Miss Maynard. In the ‘Mistress of

Charlecote’ MEL writes, “On 29th June 1881, I went to London for Lord Brooke’s marriage……..Alwyn

Greville took me through the crowd, got me a wedding favour and put me into my Brougham…..”

The cabinet also contains a collection of small china objects.

Three pieces’s of carved marble

and china. Date unknown.

OBJECTS

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1 A Pair of Gilt Wood Mermaid

Torcheres/Torchieres

On carved tripod bases with carved swags and stretcher supports.

Acquired in Milan 1829

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Sword

An 18th century Indian dress sword, taken at the relief of Lucknow. 1857,

bought to Charlecote by Captain Charles Pawlett Lane who fought in

the Indian Mutiny under General Havelock; silver inlaid with

turquoise, in glass case on a giltwood stand. Capt. Pawlett Lane married one of George Hammond

and Mary Elizabeth Lucy’s daughters, Caroline (Carry).

3 Boxes

One of a collection of 7 laquered boxes and 1 laquered bowl.

Purchased in 1823 at the Fonthill Abbey sale for 60 guineas;

originally from the collection of the Duchess of Mazarin.

Scarab

Model of a green marble scarab

Objects

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5 Boxes

A pair of lacquer boxes in three parts on stand with cabriole legs.

6 Boxes

Three small lacquer boxes possibly once belonging to

William Beckford.

Gilt plaster sheep

8 Paperweight

Multi-coloured marble paperweight.

9 Tile

Enamel square tile with shield of fleur-de-lis, the inner circle

inscribed KD. Limoges enamel.

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Casket

Described on page 128 of 'The Lucys of Charlecote' by Mary Elizabeth Lucy, 1861, as 'a magnificent ebony

coffer, the panels of beautiful Florentine mosaic; on the corners are bunches of fruit of raised mosaic, with

ormolu feet and ornaments, exquisitely chased and gilt, fitted up with internal tray, lined with crimson

velvet, with chased handles, locks and hinges in silver gilt'.

Acquired in 1823 from the Fonthill Sale, lot no. 1151; for £105; originally from the Pitti Palace, Florence.

11 Model of a small marble book

12 Clock

A 19th century round dial French clock in black marble case; with variegated beige marble decoration and bronze

lion mask handles surmounted by bronze bust of Shakespeare, signed

Berillon No. 24967.

13 Candelabra

A pair of ormolu and white marble four-light candelabra, with pairs of

female figures, the white marble cases decorated with ormolu groups of

children boar hunting and a wreath of oak leaves.

Acquired in Paris in 1843, according to a Lucy diary.

14 Fire Irons

Two of a set of three twisted steel fire irons with brass handles

– poker & tongs only.

Two Pairs of Leather Gloves One pair has black decoration

(in the Drawing Room)