Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/914

 890 COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA ARCHITECTURE. probably introduced into tliis country from France. This appears the more likely, as we find, in many instances, that the French have had great influence on the manners and customs of the Scots ; and whoever has seen any of the French chateaux of the sixteenth century, will at once recognise the striking resemblance which subsists between them and buildings of the same age in Scotland. The wine and beer cellars, &c., I propose should be under the ground floor, and communicate with it, either by a stair from the interior, commencing below the steps of the great staircase, or by an outside stair from the court, placed in the circular tower. The wliole of the ground floor of this Design, I propose to appropriate to the servants' apartments ; not only because I am borne out, in this manner of arrangement, by almost all the examples of this style of building which I have seen, but because the expression of the elevations requires it should be so ; as they do not admit of large windows on the ground floor ; small open- ings being used, as possessing greater security. The walls of the groimd floor, in this description of dwelling, were, in general, very thick ; and the ceilings were formed of stone arches, of a semicircular form. The great staircase, I propose, should be carried no higher than the level of the first flat (floor) ; and that the ceiling should be formed on the same level with the other apartments. By this means we get rid of the attic window shown in the elevation, which would come in rather awkwardly. The stairs to the attics are there placed in the space above the entrance lobbies. The interior finishing ought to be plain, rather than otherwise ; this style not admitting of groined ceilings, pointed Gothic arches, or other details of finishing peculiar to the Old English INIanor House ; but rather of that mongrel Grecian sort, which sprang up in the sixteenth century, at the introduction of what has been called the classic style of Architecture." 1822. Remarks. This style, whatever may be its origin, is obviously highly character- istic ; and, like that of the Old English Manor House, it admits of an unlimited extent of additions, spread out in any, or in every direction. Both are, therefore, essentially progressive styles, and are suitable for an age and country where mankind generally are improving in their manner of living ; or where individuals are fluctuating in their fortunes. It cannot be recommended as the most economical style, because it departs too far from the cube, or plain parallelogram ; but, in a country where the majority of mansions are in one or other of the economic.il styles, this may be resorted to as a source of variety, and of original character. As the residence of a Scotsman, in a foreign country, it might raise up many associations connected with his native land ; and, though many of these might not be of the most agreeable kind to a liberal and enlightened mind (for the Scots, in the sixteenth centur)', and long afterwards, were in a state of feudal l)ondage), yet still, every thing connected with a man's native land, and with the days of his youth, recalls pleasing emotions to his mind. When the Americans have increased in wealth and refinement, and have leisure, not only to build commodious and substantial houses, but edifices displaying architectural style and taste, then it is probable that they will have recourse to the ancient Architecture of the parent country ; and to those kinds or varieties of it which prevailed in the particular localities of their ancestors. In this point of view, the collection of publislied views of ancient British buildings will be of great value to future American Arcliitects ; for an American family, in the twen- tieth century, may order a design for a villa, in the style that prevailed in the particular locality of the parent country, at the time of the emigration of their ancestors. Design XVI. — A Cottage Villa, built at Chailey in Sussex, for General St, John. 1823. The Situation of this residence is on an eminence facing the south, and com-, manding extensive views of the South Downs and the adjacent country to the right and left. Some idea of the general arrangement may be obtained from the bird's-eye or isometrical view, fig. 1571 ; in which a is the approach ; h, a pond in the return circle of the approach ; c, rising grounds, beautifully wooded in the natural style ; d, sunk fence, separating the pleasure-ground from the park ; e, flower-garden ; /, candelabra fountains, of Austin's artificial stone, supplied from the pond, g ; h, kitchen-garden; i, melon-ground ; k, orchard ; /, rocky ridge, covered with bushes and trees ; m, the river Newick ; n, naturiil oak woods ; o, terrace walk ; p, border for flowering shrubs ; and q, the park. 1824. The House is shown on a larger scale in fig. 1572; and fig. 1573 is the ground plan. In this last figure are shown, a, a porch twelve feet wide, and sixteen feet six jiches long, under which carriages drive to set down or take up ; h, an entrance hall, e.itcred by two folding doors ; c, lobby, entered by a glass door ; d, principal staircase, lighted from the roof; e, back staircase to the servants' sleeping-rooms in the roof; /, dining-room, twenty-four feet four inches by eighteen feet four inches ; g, billiard- room, twentj'-three feet four inches by sixteen feet four inches ; and h, drawingroom, twenty-four feet four inches by eighteen feet four inches. The height of these three rooms is twelve feet. The billiard-room may be separated from the drawingroom by