_The Seat of the Rt. Hon. Earl Grosvenor_.
[Illustration]
This mansion is a princely specimen of Gothic architecture; and is in
every respect calculated for the residence of its noble possessor, whose
taste and munificence in patronizing the Fine Arts are well known to our
readers. Nevertheless, it is worthy of special remark, that not only is
the name of GROSVENOR conspicuous in this patronage, but his lordship
has further evinced his love of art in the construction of one of the
most splendid buildings in the whole empire,--the present mansion having
been completed within a few years.[1] Here the noble founder seems to
have realized all that the ingenious Sir Henry Wotton considered
requisite for a man's "house and home--the theatre of his hospitality,
the seat of self-fruition, a kind of PRIVATE PRINCEDOM; nay, to the
possessors thereof, an epitome of the whole world."
[1] At this moment, Earl Grosvenor has in progress a splendid
gallery for the reception of his superb collection of pictures,
adjoining his town mansion, in Grosvenor-street. This is one of
the few "Private Collections" to which, through the good taste
and courtesy of the proprietor, the public are admitted, on
specified days, and under certain restrictions. The nucleus of
Earl Grosvenor's collection, was the purchase of Mr. Agar's
pictures for L30,000; since which it has been enlarged, till it
has at length become one of the finest in England. In the
drawing-room at Eaton are, _Our Saviour on the Mount of Olives_,
by Claude Lorraine, which is the largest painting known to have
been executed by him; and _A Port in the Mediterranean_, by
Vernet. In the dining-room, _Rubens with his Second Wife_; by
himself; and _The Judgment of Paris_, a copy, by Peters, after
Rubens. In the dressing-room of the state bed-room, _David and
Abigail_, also by Rubens. Over the ornamented chimney-pieces of
the hall are, West's _Dissolution of the Long Parliament_, and
_The Landing of Charles the Second_.
_Eaton_ is situated about three miles to the south of Chester, on the
verge of an extensive park, thickly studded with fine old timber. The
present "Hall" occupies the site of the old mansion, which is described
as a square and spacious brick building erected by Sir Thomas Grosvenor,
in the reign of William III. The architect was Sir John Vanbrugh, who
likewise laid out the gardens with straight walks and leaden statues, in
the formal style of his age. In the reconstruction, the fine vaulted
basement story of the old Hall was preserved, as were also the external
foundations, and some subdivisions; but the superstructure was altered
and entirely refitted, and additional apartments erected on the north
and south sides, so as to make the area of the new house twice the
dimensions of the old one.
The style of architecture adopted in the new Hall is that of the age of
Edward III, as exhibited in that Parthenon of Gothic architecture, York
Minster; although the architect, Mr. Porden, has occasionally availed
himself of the low Tudor arch, and the forms of any other age that
suited his purpose, so as to adapt the rich variety of our ancient
ecclesiastical architecture to modern domestic convenience. Round the
turrets, and in various parts of the parapets are shields, charged in
relievo with the armorial bearings of the Grosvenor family, and of
other ancient families that, by intermarriages, the Grosvenors are
entitled to quarter with their own. The windows, which are "richly
dight" with tracery, are of cast-iron, moulded on both sides, and
grooved to receive the glass. The walls, battlements, and pinnacles,
are of stone, of a light and beautiful colour, from the Manly quarry
about ten miles distant.
The annexed engraving represents the west-front of the house, in the
centre of which is the entrance, by a vaulted porch, which admits a
carriage to the steps that lead to the Hall, a spacious and lofty room,
occupying the height of two stories, with a groined ceiling, embellished
with the Grosvenor arms, and other devices, in the bosses that cover the
junction of the ribs. The pavement is of variegated marble in
compartments. At the end of the Hall, a screen of five arches support a
gallery which connects the bed-chambers on the north side of the house
with those on the south, which are separated by the elevation of the
Hall. Under this gallery, two open arches to the right and left conduct
to the grand staircase, the state bed-room, and the second staircase;
and opposite to the door of the hall is the entrance to the saloon. The
grand staircase is elaborately ornamented with niches and canopies, and
with tracery under the landings; and in the principal ceiling, which is
surmounted with a double skylight of various coloured glass. The state
bed-room is lighted by two painted windows, with tracery and armorial
bearings. In the saloon are three lofty and splendidly painted windows,
which contain, in six divisions,--the portraits of the conqueror's
nephew, Gilbert le Grosvenor, the founder of the Grosvenor family, and
his lady; of William the Conqueror, with whom Gilbert came into England;
the Bishop of Bayeux, uncle to the conqueror; the heiress of the house
of Eaton; and Sir Robert le Grosvenor, who signalized himself in the
wars of Edward III.
The saloon is a square of thirty feet, formed into an octagon by arches
across the angles, which give to the vaultings a beautiful form.
Opposite to the chimney piece is an organ richly decorated. On the left
of the saloon is an ante-room leading to the dining-room; and on the
right, another leading to the drawing-room: the windows of these rooms
are glazed with a light Mosaic tracery, and exhibit the portraits of the
six Earls of Chester, who, after Hugh Lupus, governed Cheshire as a
County Palatine, till Henry III bestowed the title on his son Edward;
since which time the eldest sons of the kings of England have always
been Earls of Chester.
The dining-room, situated at the northern extremity of the east front,
is about 50 feet long and 30 feet wide, exclusive of a bay-window of
five arches, the opening of which is 30 feet. In the centre window is
the portrait of Hugh Lupus; which, with the portraits of the six Earls
of Chester, in the ante-room windows, were executed from cartoons, at
Longport, Staffordshire. The ceiling is of bold and rich tracery, with a
profuse emblazoning of heraldic honours, and a large ornamented pendant
for a chandelier.
The drawing room, which is at the southern extremity of the east front,
is of the same form and dimensions as the dining-room, with the addition
of a large window to the south, commanding the luxuriant groves of
meadows of Eaton, and the village and spire of Oldford above them. All
the windows of this room are adorned with heads and figures of the
ancestors of the family; also the portraits of the present Earl and
Countess, in a beautiful brown _chiaro-scuro_. The ceiling is tracery of
the nicest materials and workmanship emblazoned with the arms of the
Grosvenor family, and those of Egerton, Earl of Wilton, the father of
the present Countess Grosvenor.
Eaton became the property of the Grosvenor family through the marriage
of Ralph Grosvenor, in the reign of Henry VI with Joan, daughter of John
Eaton, then owner of this estate. The Grosvenor family, as we have
already intimated, came into England with William the Conqueror; they
derived their name from the office of chief huntsmen, which they held in
the Norman court; and, when "chivalry was the fashion of the times,"
says Pennant, "few families shone in so distinguished a manner: none
shewed equal spirit in vindicating their rights to their looms." He then
mentions the celebrated legal contest with Sir Richard le Scroope, for
the family arms--_Azure, a bend or_. This cause was tried before the
High Constable and the Earl Marshal of England, in the reign of Richard
II. It lasted three years; kings, princes of the blood, and most of the
nobility, and among the gentry, Chaucer, the poet, gave evidence on the
trial. "The sentence," says Pennant, "was conciliating; that both
parties should bear the same arms; but the _Grosvenours avec une bordure
d'argent_. Sir Robert resents it, and appeals to the king. The judgment
is confirmed; but the choice is left to the defendant, either to use the
_bordure_, or bear the arms of their relations, the ancient Earls of
Chester, _azure, a gerb d'or_. He rejected the mortifying distinction,
and chose a _gerb_: which is the family coat to this day."
Hitherto we have only spoken of the artificial splendour of Eaton. The
natural beauties with which it is environed will, however, present
equal, if not superior, attraction for the tourist. The stiff, formal
walks of Vanbrugh no longer disfigure the grounds, which are now made to
harmonize with the contiguous landscape, and are enlivened by an inlet
of the Dee, which intervenes between the eastern front of the mansion,
and the opposite plantations. These alterations have, however, been made
with great judgment, and a few of the venerable beauties of the park
remain. Thus, a fine aged avenue extends westward to a Gothic lodge in
the hamlet of Belgrave, about two miles distant from the Hall. Another
lodge, in a similar style of design, is approached by a road, which
diverges from this avenue towards Chester, and crosses the park, through
luxuriating plantations, which open occasionally in glade views of the
Broxton and Welsh Hills. The most pleasing approach to this noble
mansion is one which has been cut through the plantations, towards the
north-east angle of the house, so as to throw the whole building into
perspective.
Viewed from either of the beautiful sites with which the park abounds,
Eaton is a magnificent display of towers, and turrets, pinnacles and
battlements, partly embosomed in foliage, and belted with one of the
richest domains in England. Indeed, its splendour seldom fails to strike
the overweening admirer of art with devotional fondness, which is not
lessened by his approach to the fabric.[1] The most favourable distant
views are from the Aldford road, and from the romantic banks of the Dee,
whence there is a proud display of architectural grandeur. In every
point, however, the grounds and mansion of Eaton will abundantly gratify
the expectations of the visiter. Altogether, they present a rich scene
of nature, diversified and embellished by the attributes of art; and the
admiration of the latter will be not a little enhanced by the reflection
that the building of this sumptuous pile provided employment for a large
portion of the poor of Chester during one of the most calamitous periods
of the late war.
[1] One view from the interior deserves special mention: viz. from
the saloon, upon a terrace 350 feet in length, commanding one
of the richest landscapes on the banks of Dee. The boasted
terrace at Versailles is but 400 feet in length; yet, how many
Englishmen, who have seen the latter, are even ignorant of
that at Eaton.
The noble founder of Eaton has indeed learned to "build stately," and
"garden finely;" and has thus made the personal fruition of his wealth
subservient to its real use--the distribution.
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