Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/606

 492 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Feb., acterizes that style. In them are to be seen all that mixing together of turrets, gables, bulbous domes, elaborate brick chimney-shafts, and overhanging oriel- windows, which are its most prominent characteristics. At the earliest part of this century, when the blending of the Castellated and the Gothic first naturally came about — as the r-esult of the cessation of the "Wars of the Roses," and a general desire, among the nobles, to consult more the convenience and grandeur of their dwellings, and less the principles of security and defence — the style was termed Tudor. But later, the admix- ture of the Tudor details with Italian features, which took place in Elizabeth's reign, produced what bears the name of "Elizabethan." The subject of our j)resent sketch be- longs properly to this particular style ; and forms a fair specimen of the domes- tic architecture of that period. As will be seen, it retains the Castellated fea- tures of the style of dwellings prevalent at the earlier era of the Tudor dynasty, interspersed with Gothic traits and de- tails ; the principal deviations from the mode of construction of the preceding period, being the more extended employ- ment of Bay and Oriel-windows, and also of projecting Ornamental Porticos, the spaciousness and length of the Gal- leries and Halls, and the importance given to the Stairways. One very noticeable peculiarity in this design is the use of the octagonal but- tresses, attached to the walls above, ter- minating in insulated pillars below. These impart a striking effect to the building ; and serve to make the parts behind them seem to retire more. In addition to these pinnacled buttresses there are corbeled pinnacles at the angles of the building. The tower, in this design, is strictly in keeping with the style, having battlements and an oriel-window in the upper section. The windows, throughout, have square heads with hoods, and are divided by mullions, the lights being arched and cusped. The entrance is through a Porch with obtuse-pointed arch, and on either side of this are Bay-windows, one octagonal and the other square, on the ground- floor. This entrance porch has a but- tress at each corner, terminating in a foliated finial. The Conservatory forms a useful, as well as pleasing feature to the design, with its buttresses, finials, and walls crowned by an embattled para- pet. At the rear is the Billiard-room, in a detached building, accessible by a continuation of the hall through a covered passage ; and also from the ex- terior, by means of steps leading into a Porch, through which the room itself is entered. We will now proceed with a brief de- scription of the accompanying ground- plan. Entering through the porch, on the front, we come to the Vestibule A, beyond which is the Main Hall. On the left hand of this passage is the Recep- tion-Parlor B, sixteen (16) feet by six- teen (16) feet, having an octagonal bay- window on the front, and an ordinary window on the side, extending to the level of the floor of an outer porch M, on that side. Proceeding through the passage, on the same side, is the Sitting- room C, sixteen (16) feet by twenty-five (25) feet, having at the end a triple group of large windows in the form of an arcade, with the sashes extending to the floor, connecting this room with the Conservatory H, seventeen (17) feet by twenty (20) feet. Communicating both with the Sitting-room and the Conserva- tory is the Dining-room F, a capacious apartment sixteen (16) feet by twenty- four (24) feet, having at the end a square bay-window, with a Balcony N, and two windows in the rear. Attached to the Dining-room is the Pantry J, fitted up with a Sink, Dumb-waiter and the requisite shelving, drawers, &c. Pass- ing through the Pantry, we reach the Private Stairway I, and beyond is the Main Hall, at this point, twenty -five (25)