Would our ancestors, before the reformation of architecture, not have deposited in their gloomy castles antique statues and fine pictures, beautiful vases and ornamental China, if they had possessed them?— But I do not mean to defend by argument a small capricious house. It was built to please my own taste, and in some degree to realize my own visions. I have specified what it contains; could I describe the gay but tranquil scene where it stands, and add the beauty of the landscape to the romantic cast of the mansion, it would raise more pleasing sensations than a dry list of curiosties can excite: at least the prospect would recall the good humour of those who might be disposed to condemn the fantastic fabric, and to think it a very proper habitation of, as it was the scene that inspired, the author of the Castle of Otranto. * WHERE the Gothic castle now stands, was originally a small tenement, built in 1698, and let as a lodging-house: Cibber once took it, and wrote one of his plays here, The Refusal or the Lady's Philosophy. After him, Talbot bishop of Durham had it for eight years:† then, Henry Bridges marquis of Carnarvon, son of James duke of Chandos, and since duke himself. It was next hired by Mrs. Chenevix,‡ the noted toy-woman, who, on the death of her husband, let it to Lord John Philip Sackville, second son of Lionel duke of Dorset: he kept it about two years, and then Mr. Walpole took the remainder of Mrs. Chenevix's lease in May 1747, and the next year bought it by act of parliament, it being the property of three minors of the name of Mortimer. Along with this house and some other tenements was another small one,§ then occupied by Richard Francklin, printer of The Craftsman, who had been taken up for printing that paper during the It was built by the Earl of Bradford's coachman, and was called by the common people, Chopp'd Straw Hall, they supposing, that by feeding his lord's horses with chopped straw, he had saved money enough to build his house; but the piece of ground on which it stands is called in all the old leases, Strawberry-Hill-Shot, from whence it takes its name. †The bishop kept a large table here; which is scarce conceivable, as he had no kitchen but that little place which is now the china-room. Pere Courayer lodged here with her for some time. It has since been pulled down, and a cottage built on the same spot. The garden too has been newly laid out by Mr. Walpole since it came into his hands by Francklin's death. A DESCRIPTION OF STRAWBERRY-HILL. 441 administration of Sir Robert Walpole.* When Mr. Walpole bought Strawberry-hill, there were but five acres belonging to the house: the rest have been purchased since. The castle now existing was not entirely built from the ground, but formed at different times, by alterations of and additions to the old and small house. The library, and refectory or great parlour, were entirely new built in 1753; the gallery, round tower, great cloister, and cabinet in 1760 and 1761; the great north bed-chamber in 1770; and the Beauclerc tower with the hexagon closet in 1776. The embattled wall to the road is taken from a print of Aston-house in Warwickshire, in Dugdale's history of that county. Entering by the great north gate, the first object that presents itself is a small oratory enclosed with iron rails; in front, an altar, on which stands a saint in bronze; open niches, and stone basins for holy water; designed by John Chute, Esq., of the Vine in Hampsire. On the right hand is a small garden called the abbot's garden, parted off by an open screen, taken from the tomb of Roger Niger bishop of London in old St. Paul's. Passing on the left, by a small cloister,† is the entrance to the house, the narrow front of which was designed by Richard Bentley, only son of Dr. Bentley, the learned master of Trinity college, Cambridge. Over the door are three shields of Walpole, Shorter, and Robsart. You first enter a small gloomy hall paved with hexagon tiles, and lighted by two narrow windows of painted glass, representing St. John and St. Francis. This hall is united with the staircase, and both are hung with Gothic paper, painted by one Tudor, from the screen of prince Arthur's tomb in the cathedral of Worcester. The balustrade was designed by Mr. Bentley; at every corner is an antelope (one of Lord Orford's supporters) holding a shield. In the well of the staircase, by a cord of black and yellow, hangs a gothic lanthorn of tin japanned, * It is remarkable, that the printer of the "Craftsman" was Mr. Walpole's tenant; and that the writer of "The Craftsman," W. Pulteney earl of Bath, wrote a allad in praise of Strawberry-hill. † In this cloister are two blue and white Delft flower-pots; and a bas-relief head in marble, inscribed Dia Helianora: it is the portrait of the Princess Eleanora d'Este, with whom Tasso was in love, and who was the cause of his misfortunes; it was sent to Mr. Walpole from Italy, by Sir William Hamilton, minister at Naples. On a pedestal stands the large blue and white china tub in which Mr. Walpole's cat was drowned; on a label of the pedestal is written the first stanza of Mr. Gray's beautiful ode on that occasion. 'Twas on this lofty vase's side, Where China's gayest art has dy'd The azure flow'rs that blow; In the winding cloisters on the right hand are some ancient bas-reliefs; and a brass plate with the effigies of Ralph Walpole bishop of Norwich and Ely, engraven by Muntz (a Swiss painter who lived some time with Mr. Walpole,) and a Chinese lanthorn with scraped oyster-shells. designed by Mr. Bentley, and filled with painted glass; the door of it has an old pain with the arms of Vere earl of Oxford. Turning to the left, through a small passage, over the entrance of which is an ancient carving in wood of the arms of Queen Elizabeth, 1567, and in it a window of painted glass, you enter THE REFECTORY, OR GREAT PARLOUR. IT is thirty feet long, twenty wide, and twelve high; hung with paper in imitation of stucco. The chimney-piece was designed by Mr. Bentley: upon it stands a fine Etruscan vase, between two bottles of black and gold porcelain. Over the chimney, a conversation, by Reynolds, small life: Richard, second lord Edgecumbe, is drawing at a table in the library at Strawberry-hill; George James Williams is looking over him; George Augustus Selwyn stands on the other side with a book in his hand. Lord Edgecumbe, Mr. Selwyn, and Mr. Williams used to be with Mr. Walpole at Christmas and Easter at Strawberry-hill. On one side of this picture, a head of Sir Horace Mann, resident at Florence; painted there by Astley, and highly coloured; he is dressed in red velvet. Opposite to it, his brother, Galfridus Mann, in brown; by the same. Over against the chimney, a bureau of black japan; on it a clock, supported by a bronze figure of a woman reading: beneath, an Etruscan vase, between two white old china beakers. The chairs are black, of a gothic pattern, designed by Mr. Bentley and Mr. Walpole. The table of Sicilian jasper on a black frame designed by Mr. Bentley: upon it, a large punch-bowl and pail of Seve china; two beakers of old gray porcelaine, veined; two ice-pails of Chelsea china. Under it, two Etruscan vases, and a jar of Roman fayence. Over the table hangs a hunting-horn, finely enamelled on one side in colours, on the other in chiaro scuro, with the history of St. Hubert. By the table an old white china bottle, ornamented with or moulu, on a mahogany pedestal, for water, bought at Mr. Bateman's sale, 1775. On each side of the window, the top of which has some fine painted glass, and one ridiculous Dutch piece representing the triumph of Fame, who is accompanied by Cato, Cicero, and other great men, in square caps and gowns of masters of arts, are card-tables of rosewood, carved in China; and over each a looking-glass in a gothic frame of black and gold, designed by Mr. Walpole. Inclosed in the tops of the frames, with their arms and coronets, are the portraits of George Walpole third earl of Orford, and of George Cholmondeley viscount Mal *There is another Dutch emblematic pane, on which is Charles II. riding uppermost on the wheel of fortune, and Rebellion thrown down. Another pane is painted with a cobbler whistling to a bird in a cage, by Pearson, scholar of Price. This window was altered and enlarged in 1774. pas, eldest son of George earl of Cholmondeley and of Mary second daughter of Sir Robert Walpole. The former is copied by Eckardt, from a miniature by Liotard, in the cabinet above stairs: the latter is original by Eckardt. On one side of the window, An old woman letting a boy light his candle, by Schalken; very fine. Opposite, Two boys, a dog and a goat, by Bassan; from Mr. Jennings's collection. At the end of the room, over against the window, Sir Robert Walpole, knight of the garter, afterwards earl of Orford. On one side of him, Catherine, eldest daughter of John Shorter, of Bybrook in Kent, first wife of Sir Robert Walpole; in white: a copy from Sir Godfrey Kneller, by Jarvis. On the other side, Maria Skerret (in the dress of a shepherdess,) second wife of Sir Robert: by Jarvis. On one side of the chimney, Robert Walpole second earl of Orford, auditor of the exchequer, master of the fox-hounds, and knight of the bath, eldest son of Sir Robert Walpole by his first wife; in red velvet, with a globe by him: by Richardson. Margaret, only child of Samuel Rolle, of Heynton in Devonshire, first married to Robert second earl of Orford, and mother of George the third earl; and secondly to Sewallis shirley, a younger son of earl Ferrers; in a white riding-habit with a stick: by Jarvis. On the other side, Sir Edward Walpole, second son of Sir Robert Walpole and Catherine Shorter, knight of the bath, and clerk of the bells; in the robes of the bath: by Slaughter. Horace Walpole, third son of Sir Robert and Catherine Shorter; in blue velvet: by Richardson. Over against the chimney, a large piece of the ladies Laura Maria, and Horatio Waldegrave, daughters of James second earl of Waldegrave and Maria Walpole, afterwards duchess of Gloucester: by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1781. Lady Ann Osborn, daughter of the first duke of Leeds: by Sir Godfrey Kneller. She was first married to Thomas Coke of Holkham, by whom she was grandmother of Thomas Coke, Lord Lovel and earl of Leicester; and secondly to Horatio Walpole, second son of Sir Edward Walpole, and uncle of Sir Robert Walpole. On the other side, Dorothy, sister of Sir Robert, and second wife of Charles lord viscount Townshend, knight of the garter and secretary of state; in a Turkish habit: by Jarvis. Over one of the doors, Mary lady Malpas, second daughter of Sir Robert Walpole and Catherine Shorter; married to George lord Malpas, afterwards Earl of Cholmondeley; by Eckardt, after Jarvis. Over the other door, Lady Maria Walpole, only child of Sir Robert Walpole and Maria *This is a whole length picture, but is turned in. |