DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32039#0063
MANOR-HOUSE, GREAT CHALFIELD, WILTSHIRE.
41
of tlie Hall, whereby a private communication might be kept up, without the
necessity of going down one staircase, traversing the Hall, and up another. This
room and the guest-chamber seem to have been originally open to the rafters
of the roof, as the purlins and braces are moulded. See Plate V. Other
explanations are given on the Plate.
Plate IV. The NortJi Front, and the Figures which terminate tlie Gables.
This, the principal front of the Manor-House, is more regular in design than
ancient buildings generally; yet the playfulness of outline is not lost sight of.
The richness of the two Oriel Windows, the spirit expressed in the figures, and
the elegant Chimneij-shaft, make it a highly interesting subject of study; the
beauty of the details will be appreciated in the following Plates. The twojigures
which are on the gables of the Banqueting-Hall are in the armour of the time
of Henry VI., as also the one on the gable of the left wing; which circum-
stance gives additional weight to the presumed date of erection.*
Plate V. shews a Longitudinal Section througli the Hall, the line of which
is dotted on the Plans, Plate III. In the Hall are seen the Entrance Door, with
the Oak bar drawn across, and the small wicket; the Screen; the Music Gallery,
now destroyed; the Winclows; the Fireplcice, and the Archway into the north
Bay, over which is a mask, concealing a small look-out from the dressing-closet.
To the left is the Giiest Chamber, and room under; below is shewn a section of
the Groined-room ; to the right, the Dining-room and Bed-rooms over; at c c,
in the roof of the Hall, are the entrances to the small staircases, leading into
the Dressing-closets: a compartment of the roof of each wing is given at the
bottom of the Plate, with its own details. To the left is the base of the
chimney-shaft at D, and in the centre of the Plate is a jamb, found, on the level
of the first floor, in the south wall of the left wing, which proves that wall to
have been an interior partition ; a section of the base is also shewn.
* For this information, the author is indehted to the opinion of Sir Samuel Meyrick, F.S.A., than whom no person
possesses a hetter knowledge of ancient armour. In answer to an inquiry on this suhject, the author was honoured by
tlae following note:—
“ 23 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square,
Sd May, 1837.
“ Sir Samuel Meyrick presents his respects to Mr. Walker, and, in reply to his inquiry, hegs leave to say, that the
figures are of the time of Henry VI., i. e. ahout the fifteenth century. Those in armour wear on their heads the
salade -, hut the other figure has the head-piece, either not correctly represented, or the upper part is modern. It seems
to be intended for the visard salade, which, as W'ell as the simple salade, was worn in the time of Henry VI.; at any
rate, the feet are of the period. ”
G
41
of tlie Hall, whereby a private communication might be kept up, without the
necessity of going down one staircase, traversing the Hall, and up another. This
room and the guest-chamber seem to have been originally open to the rafters
of the roof, as the purlins and braces are moulded. See Plate V. Other
explanations are given on the Plate.
Plate IV. The NortJi Front, and the Figures which terminate tlie Gables.
This, the principal front of the Manor-House, is more regular in design than
ancient buildings generally; yet the playfulness of outline is not lost sight of.
The richness of the two Oriel Windows, the spirit expressed in the figures, and
the elegant Chimneij-shaft, make it a highly interesting subject of study; the
beauty of the details will be appreciated in the following Plates. The twojigures
which are on the gables of the Banqueting-Hall are in the armour of the time
of Henry VI., as also the one on the gable of the left wing; which circum-
stance gives additional weight to the presumed date of erection.*
Plate V. shews a Longitudinal Section througli the Hall, the line of which
is dotted on the Plans, Plate III. In the Hall are seen the Entrance Door, with
the Oak bar drawn across, and the small wicket; the Screen; the Music Gallery,
now destroyed; the Winclows; the Fireplcice, and the Archway into the north
Bay, over which is a mask, concealing a small look-out from the dressing-closet.
To the left is the Giiest Chamber, and room under; below is shewn a section of
the Groined-room ; to the right, the Dining-room and Bed-rooms over; at c c,
in the roof of the Hall, are the entrances to the small staircases, leading into
the Dressing-closets: a compartment of the roof of each wing is given at the
bottom of the Plate, with its own details. To the left is the base of the
chimney-shaft at D, and in the centre of the Plate is a jamb, found, on the level
of the first floor, in the south wall of the left wing, which proves that wall to
have been an interior partition ; a section of the base is also shewn.
* For this information, the author is indehted to the opinion of Sir Samuel Meyrick, F.S.A., than whom no person
possesses a hetter knowledge of ancient armour. In answer to an inquiry on this suhject, the author was honoured by
tlae following note:—
“ 23 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square,
Sd May, 1837.
“ Sir Samuel Meyrick presents his respects to Mr. Walker, and, in reply to his inquiry, hegs leave to say, that the
figures are of the time of Henry VI., i. e. ahout the fifteenth century. Those in armour wear on their heads the
salade -, hut the other figure has the head-piece, either not correctly represented, or the upper part is modern. It seems
to be intended for the visard salade, which, as W'ell as the simple salade, was worn in the time of Henry VI.; at any
rate, the feet are of the period. ”
G