I have been suffering from a case of the January Blahs, so I am late in resuming my account of last autumn in England. Sorry.
The second stately home on our September 2022 Country House Tour was Lyme Park, my second visit there. I include the picture below from the 1995 mini-series of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice because many of you will recognize the south façade of Lyme Hall which played the part of Pemberley's exterior.
The second stately home on our September 2022 Country House Tour was Lyme Park, my second visit there. I include the picture below from the 1995 mini-series of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice because many of you will recognize the south façade of Lyme Hall which played the part of Pemberley's exterior.
The historic home of the Legh family, Lyme is now part of the National Trust and is replete with fascinating contrasts and varieties in architectural, decorative, and garden features. For example, the view below is the north façade as you approach for your visit. Almost completely Elizabethan in appearance, is described in the guidebook as "the exuberant Elizabethan frontispiece executed for Sir Piers Legh VII in about 1570..." There were about thirteen or fourteen Sir Piers or Sir Peter Leghs in the family's five-century ownership of the property.
The Tudor House, architect unknown, had additional wings added. In the 1720s, Italian architect Giacomo Leoni added the south range, enclosing a courtyard. Please click on the smaller pictures for full versions. Below, left, the interior courtyard; right, layout of the first floor rooms.
Above, left, the staircase leading to the principle entrance on the first floor. Right, on the ground floor, the ticket office and gift shop boast this version of a family crest carved into the mantelpiece. Below, tapestries cover the walls in the Entrance Hall, in two views, woven at the Mortlake Tapestry Works in the early 17th C. Originally hung in the Belgrave Square house of the Legh family, many were cut to fit Lyme in 1903.
The Entrance Hall, above, seems a comfortable gathering place for family and visitors alike. In essence, it is the perfect Country House Style of casual elegance and treasured artwork that typifies the look. Below, left, a lovely clock sits before one of the tapestries from the Hero and Leander series, C. 1625. Lyme is renowned for its collections of clocks. Right, an 18th C. Italian cabinet of ebony with ivory inlay.
The four images above are from the Library. The Greek Stele on the mantelpiece was an archeological discovery of Thomas Legh in 1812 in Athens. The famous Sarum Missal, printed in 1487 by William Caxton is on exhibit in the library, along with a collection of books and maps. But most inviting to me was the thought of cuddling up in that reading cove and enjoying selections from the bounteous shelves.
Below, the Saloon sits behind the memorable portico on the South Façade. Paneled in oak, it boasts a fine walnut harpsichord by John Hitchcock of London, from the mid 1760's.
Below, the Saloon sits behind the memorable portico on the South Façade. Paneled in oak, it boasts a fine walnut harpsichord by John Hitchcock of London, from the mid 1760's.
The center images show two of the limewood carvings attributed to Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) master woodworker, pictured lower right. This Saloon was added to the house by architect Lewis Wyatt (1777-1853) for Thomas Legh in the early 19th Century. The carvings were moved here from elsewhere in the mansion.
Below, the Grand Staircase was designed by Leoni in the early 18th century. At the top is a portrait of Thomas Legh (1792-1857) an avid traveler in his Nubian (Egyptian) dress, painted c. 1820 by William Bradley
Below, the Grand Staircase was designed by Leoni in the early 18th century. At the top is a portrait of Thomas Legh (1792-1857) an avid traveler in his Nubian (Egyptian) dress, painted c. 1820 by William Bradley
Above, the Dining Room, also created by Architect Lewis Wyatt in 1814 for Thomas Legh. Below left, the collection of 16th century glass in the Drawing Room. The Erhard Harp was purchased in 1829, also by Thomas Legh. Right, the Mantelpiece is a version of the coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth I.
Above, the Yellow Bedroom, created in the early 18th C. On the right, an elegant grey silk pelisse.
Below, left, several first floor rooms are devoted to the National Trust's renowned collection of time pieces, these three being long case clocks dating from the 17th C. The collection includes the oldest pendulum clock in the UK.
Below right, a view of the Long Gallery 130 feet in length, on the second floor, east side, overlooking the Orangery, a remainder of the Elizabethan period when the house was new.
Below, left, several first floor rooms are devoted to the National Trust's renowned collection of time pieces, these three being long case clocks dating from the 17th C. The collection includes the oldest pendulum clock in the UK.
Below right, a view of the Long Gallery 130 feet in length, on the second floor, east side, overlooking the Orangery, a remainder of the Elizabethan period when the house was new.
Above left, the ceiling of the Knight's Bedroom on the Second Floor. The bed is apparently a 19th century copy of a 17th C. original. Several legends are associated with this room. One tells of a ghost, the shade of a Priest who hid here, died and was only rediscovered as a skeleton during renovations several centuries later. Another legend says that Mary Queen of Scots slept here. I didn't see a trace of either one.
Below, left, a doll house from the Edwardian Nursery, one of many toys which can be played with by visiting children. On the right, one of several paintings in Lyme showing the type of mastiffs the estate became famous for breeding.
Below, left, a doll house from the Edwardian Nursery, one of many toys which can be played with by visiting children. On the right, one of several paintings in Lyme showing the type of mastiffs the estate became famous for breeding.
Coming next, Lyme's exterior and gardens.
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