Heritage > Historic Houses

Beaulieu

The Entrance Hall: Creating A Family Home

During the last years of the 18th century the Beaulieu estate passed into the family of the Dukes of Buccleuch through marriage. In 1867 the 5th Duke of Buccleuch gave the estate as a wedding present to his second son, the curre nt Lord Montagu's grandfather, Lord Henry Scott, Beaulieu had its first resident owner.

Henry decided that Palace House was too small and cramped for his needs and began to plan extensive alterations to the house which had remained largely unchanged since rebuilding carried out in the early 18th century.

The architect was Sir Arthur Blomfield (1829-99) whose trademark was a Victorian Gothic Style seen in other of his buildings like the Queen's school at Eton and Selwyn College Cambridge. He desc ribed the 18th century alterations as 'extremely defective' and concluded that 'the ancient part of the house may very well be preserved' but that 'the two wings at the north, should be pulled down' and be replaced by 'an entirely new building'

Major rebuilding was begun in 1871 and completed in 1874. At the dedication of the new house a note in a bottle was placed under the foundation stone. The alterations comprised a new main entrance on the west side, with a wide wooden staircase linking it to th e upper floor. Previously, entry to the House was gained through what is today the central window in the Lower Drawing Room. An eastern wing was added for the first time with another entrance over the moat and the northern wings at the back of the House w ere completely rebuilt. Problems occurred when they discovered that part of the House had been built on a stratum of quicksand and extensive stabilising work became necessary.

Expense was always uppermost in Lord Henry's mind and a variety of firms w ere employed to do the work: the hot and cold water distribution system by Prosser and Russet, metal work by Hart and Peard, and glazing by Heatons. Large scale internal changes were made at the same time. Floors were fire-proofed and where possible monas tic remains were incorporated into the interior design, even in the attics. Blomfield redesigned the fireplaces and drew patterns for the new stained glass windows which were installed. The most unusual is that in the Ante Room, where smoke from the fire is taken up in flues either side of a stained glass window depicting the wildlife of the Beaulieu Estate.

Alterations on a smaller scale took place from 1885 to 1887: the hall was enlarged, and a new butler's pantry and still room were added. Staff q uaters were important as Running a Country House and estate needed a community of workers. During the 19th century the Entrance Hall was used as a billiard room. Today it displays pictures an d objects relating to four generations of the owners of Beaulieu.

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