is a curiously constructed cover. This font is engraved on the next
page, but unfortunately the artist has omitted the cover. The chancel
is raised a little above the nave; and on each side is a large high
pew, with open railings in their upper portions, which have been used
for the noble families who have inhabited the place; and the carved
panels, and the traces of gilding and colour they contain, show, along
with the remains of paintings on the walls, how magnificent must have
been this place of worship in its palmy days.
The chapel consists of a nave with two aisles of unequal width, and a
chancel. The entire length of the chapel is 49 feet, the chancel being
28 feet long, and the nave 21 feet. Each aisle has an arcade of two
pointed arches.
[Illustration: _Norman Font in the Chapel._]
The entrance to the chapel is on the north side, near to the west end.
The different parts of the chapel appear to be of about the following
dates, viz.:—
The south aisle, and centre circular column of its arcade, A.D. 1160.
The five windows of this aisle are each of a single light and pointed.
The capital of the circular column of the arcade has been cut so as to
fit the arches subsequently erected over it. The lower west window,
and the north aisle (except the doorway), and the north arcade, are
about _A.D._ 1310. A window of this aisle formerly existed to the east
of the doorway, but was blocked up when a staircase was made in the
vestibule of the chapel, to give access to a small room. The chancel,
the clerestory of the nave, and the south arcade, except the circular
column, are of about 1425, at which time the glass of the east window
was put in by Richard Vernon, as recorded in an inscription on the
window itself. The bell-turret is supposed to have been erected by
William, son of Richard Vernon, about 1455. The letter W, supposed
to be his initial, is carved on the outside of its wall, towards the
court-yard. The blocking up of the window of the north aisle, and the
construction of the entrance doorway, may be of the same date. William
Vernon married Margaret de Pype; and the Pype arms are on one of the
south windows of the chancel.
The partial removal of the whitewash of the chapel walls, in 1858, led
to several discoveries of the former arrangements of the building, and
of the coloured decorations of the walls; and, were it desirable, a
complete restoration of the interior to its former state would not be
difficult.
There were two altars in the chapel—one at the east end, as usual,
and one under the east window of the south aisle. This latter was, no
doubt, a chantry. The stone slabs which formed the tops of the altars
still exist, and are raised, to the extent of their thickness, above
the floor: the east altar-stone is 8 feet by 3 feet, and is 8 inches
thick, the edge being a fillet of 3 inches, and a chamfer; the surface
is so decayed that only one of its original five _crosses pattée_ now
remains.
The altar-stone of the south aisle is 5 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 6
inches, the edge showing a fillet and chamfer. The five _crosses
pattée_ on it are still perfect. The piscina in the chancel still
remains, recessed in a fenestella.
The sill of the south window, near the altar, is low, so as to form a
sedilia bench. In the middle of the sloping sill of the east window
a step has been cut, no doubt for the crucifix to stand on; and on
each side of it is a similar step, probably for candlesticks. On the
east wall, on each side of the window, is a stone bracket, probably to
support an image.
On the east wall of the south aisle there is a bracket with a grotesque
head, which was probably intended to support a figure. There are signs
of a large bracket having existed on the north side of the altar; and
the base-mould of a small column, which possibly supported its front
edge, may be seen on a block of stone rising above the pavement.
A very remarkable squint was discovered and reopened in 1859 in the
south-west angle of the chancel, through which a view of the priest
officiating at the chantry altar could be obtained from the rood-loft
above.
In the wall, opposite to this squint, is a doorway, which gave passage
from the bell-turret to the rood-loft. The sill of this doorway is 13
feet 9 inches above the chapel floor. The bell itself is now (1871)
in use at the new church at Rowsley. It had been taken down from the
turret many years ago.
Two fragments of the open-work of the rood-screen may be seen in the
west ends of the chancel pews. They are carved in oak.
The font, which is round and perfectly plain, is of the Norman period,
and probably of the same date as the early part of the chapel. It is
not in its original position. The stoup for holy water is near the
entrance door of the chapel.
The windows are not architecturally remarkable, but the glass is
deserving of careful attention. It gives an excellent example of
very good effect produced by very simple means, and excluding very
little light from the interior. Each principal light in the east
window, and each light in the head, has a single figure. The drawing,
both in expression and in the grace of the drapery, is often very
good. Yellow stain is extensively employed, but otherwise colour is
sparingly, though very effectively used. There are no canopies, or
other architectural accessories. The quarries, forming the groundwork
of the windows, come close up to the figures. There are eight patterns
of quarries remaining, besides six birds, each of a different form.
Most of these patterns are good, and the whole of them may be found in
the east window, except one which is in the south-west window of the
chancel.
The east window has five lights. Much of the glass has been destroyed;
what remains was re-leaded in 1858, and arranged according to the
original design. No new coloured glass was introduced, but some old
quarries were collected from other windows of the chapel, and placed
in the east window to complete the groundwork. In the centre light
the figure of our Saviour on the cross is nearly perfect. In the next
light, on either side, is a figure more or less mutilated, and each has
lost the head. One of them represents the Virgin; the other appears to
be St. John, though, apparently through some mistake of the artist, he
has the emblems of St. John the Baptist. The figures of the two outer
lights are entirely gone. The emblems of two of the evangelists remain.
In the lights of the head are figures of saints, generally well drawn.
Below the principal figures of this window are three shields of arms,
supported by angels, gracefully drawn. These arms are, _argent_, a lion
rampant _gules_, ducally crowned, _or_; _argent_, fretty, _sable_, a
canton of the first; and another shield, the bearing on which has been
lost. At the bottom of the window are the remains of an inscription to
Sir Richard Vernon and Benedict Ludlow his wife, as follows:—_Orate
pro āiābus Ricardi Vernon et Benedicite uxoris eius qui fecerunt anō
d̄ni milesimo_ CCCCXXVII. This Sir Richard Vernon, who was born in
1391, and succeeded his father in 1401, married Benedict, daughter
of Sir John Ludlow of Hodnet, and died in 1451. He was “Treasurer of
Calais, Captain of Rouen, and Speaker of the Parliament of Leicester,
in the fourth year of Henry VI. in 1426.” Above the crucifix are the
royal arms, quarterly, first and fourth France, second and third
England. In the outer lights are a knight kneeling at a table, and
fragments of an ecclesiastic.
The flat-headed windows on each side of the altar, in the north and
south sides of the chancel, have each three principal lights, and
six lights in the heads, each containing the figure of an apostle,
effectively drawn.
The centre light of the north window has a figure of the Virgin being
taught to read by St. Anne. To the right of this, as we face the
window, is the figure of St. George slaying the dragon, and in the
other light is the figure of St. Michael trampling on a six-headed
dragon. Beneath, there are three mutilated shields of arms of Vernon,
&c., and in the bottom of the window are the remains of a candlestick
or hour-glass stand. In the south window are the arms of Pype, _azure_,
crucilly of cross-crosslets and two pipes in pale, _or_; and those of
Vernon, _argent_, fretty, _sable_, on the dexter side of an impaled
shield, the impalement on which is lost. Over the arms of Pype is the
fragment of the original inscription, reading “Margareta Pype, vxo.”
The mural decorations, of which traces have been found, are of various
character and of much interest. The oldest fragments are two running
patterns of good design. One is on the arches of the north arcade, and
of the same date as the stonework on which it appears, viz., about
1310. The other, which seems to be of the same age, is on one of the
jambs of the east window of the south aisle, over the altar. In this
window there are traces of a figure, now almost entirely destroyed.
Over the arches of the nave there are traces of two different designs,
one on each wall. Both are much defaced. On the west wall of the nave
there is a design consisting of a running pattern of rose branches
and leaves, with red flowers of five petals. The stems and leaves are
shaded grey and black. Traces of the same design have been found on the
walls of the south aisle, and on the jambs of its west window. The date
of this rose pattern is probably about 1427, when the glass of the east
window of the chancel was put in.
There is a pattern of green and dull red on the east wall of the
chancel, and on the south wall is a very similar pattern, which
enclosed four groups of figures, two on each side of the window over
the sedilia bench. There is no border surrounding each group, but
merely the diaper pattern. They are probably of the same date as the
glass in the east window. The figures of these groups are generally
effectively drawn, though with occasional exaggeration and distortion.
They are in distemper on the plaster, and are black, with the exception
of some dresses, which are green. There are scrolls to each group,
corresponding with the number of figures, but without any name. These
groups had been much injured before they were covered with whitewash,
and the injury appears as if partially intentional. The groups form
a series of subjects, and commence with the upper group on the east
side of the window. The subject is the presentation of the Virgin
in the Temple by Joachim and Anna. The three figures remain. Below
this is a group, much injured, apparently Anna teaching the Virgin to
read, whilst Joachim stands by. Two of these groups, for which we are
indebted to the “Reliquary,” are here shown.
[Illustration: _Wall-paintings in the Chapel._]
The upper group on the west is a Holy Family. The Virgin holds the
infant Jesus in her arms; St. Joseph stands by; St. John the Baptist
raises his hands and eyes towards the infant Saviour.
Below this is a group, much injured, with four scrolls, and apparently
four figures. A female figure, probably the Virgin, seems to be
carrying a child, whilst a male figure follows behind. There seem to be
indications of a fourth and small figure. The subject appears to be
the flight into Egypt, with, contrary to custom, the figure of St. John
introduced.
Traces of colour are found on the fenestella of the piscina, on the
circular columns of the south arcade, and on the brackets near the
altar.
[Illustration: _Steps to State Apartments._]
Leaving the chapel, the visitor will cross the court-yard to the
BANQUETING-HALL; but he will notice on his way a flight of stone steps
leading from the court-yard, near the doorway of the ante-chapel, up
to the state apartments, so that the family could attend the chapel
without passing through the hall, and could also, with their guests, be
admitted at other times to their suite of rooms.
In this first court-yard he will also do well to take especial notice
of the beautiful and intricate designs on the lead-work of the heads of
the spouts—many of which are filled with delicate Gothic tracery—and
the gargoyles, or water-spouts, some of which are grotesquely carved in
figures of curious character, and some of them of uncouth shape. One
or two of these we have engraved on another page.
Entering the open doorway of the advanced porch, which, with a wide
passage adjoining, forms the way through to the inner, or second
court-yard, the visitor will notice, standing on the stone bench on his
left hand, a fine Roman altar which, many years ago, was dug up in the
grounds. It bears the inscription,—
[Illustration: _Roman Altar, Haddon Hall._]
DEO
MARTI
BRACIACÆ
OSITTIVS
CAECILIANS
PRAEFECT
COH I AQVITANO
V S
which may be rendered, “To the God Mars, Braciaca, Osittius,
Caecilianus, Prefect of the first Cohort of the Aquitani, in
performance of a vow”—the term _Braciacæ_: as applied to Mars being
singular.
To the left of the passage four arched doorways conduct respectively
to the buttery, the great kitchen, and other domestic offices, and to
a staircase leading to the long suite of chambers on the north side,
and also communicating, by means of a gallery in the Banqueting-Hall,
with all the other apartments of the building. To the right is a
massive and time-worn oak screen, with two open doorways, which
divides the Banqueting-Hall from the passage. Entering by the first of
these openings in the screen, the visitor will not fail to notice a
suspicious-looking little iron bracket with ring attached, high above
his head. This, tradition says, was an instrument of punishment for
enforcing the observance of laws of conviviality. For it is said, if,
in the days of feasting and merriment in the “good old times,” a man
should fail to drink up his quota of liquor, he was fastened up by
the wrist to this ring, and the liquor poured down his sleeve so as
gradually to trickle down him on to the floor; or, if guilty of any
other breach of the law or decorum of the board, he was similarly tied
up, and compelled so to remain during the carousal, and was treated now
and then not only with a stream of cold water poured down his sleeve,
but by other indignities forced upon him.
[Illustration: _The Banqueting-Hall: with the Minstrels’ Gallery._]
The BANQUETING-HALL, or GREAT HALL, as it is sometimes called,
measures, within the screen, about 35 feet in length, and about 25
in width, and it is of the full height of the building, with an open
timber roof. It is entered, as has just been stated, by two open
doorways in the screen which separates it from the passage. The screen
also forms the front of the MINSTRELS’ GALLERY over the passage. The
screen is beautifully panelled, each panel being headed with cinquefoil
cusps, above which is other Gothic tracery of elegant design. At the
opposite end from this screen is the raised daïs for the lord and his
family and honoured guests, where still stands the grand old table on
which so many of the good things of this life have been spread in ages
long since passed away.
[Illustration: _Old Oak Table in the Banqueting Hall._]
This table is one of the finest examples of its kind yet remaining
anywhere in existence—it is now worm-eaten and decayed, like those who
once feasted around it; but still it stands, a proud monument of those
ancient times so long gone by. Over the daïs a modern window has been
inserted, and formerly a doorway, to the left of the lord as he sat in
the centre of the large table, opened into what is now the dining-room,
but in those days was the withdrawing-room.
[Illustration: _The Hand-lock in the Banqueting-Hall._]
To the right hand, on entering, is the gigantic fire-place with its
huge open chimney; and on the opposite side, at the end next the high
table, a flight of steps leads up to the state apartments; and close
by, through a corner partitioned off by the oak wainscoting, another
door leads to the private dining-room and to the grounds. On the walls
of the Banqueting-Hall are some magnificent stags’ heads and antlers,
which bear evidence not only of extremely fine growth, but of great
age, since they fell to the lord of the chase. There are also several
pieces of old furniture: and on the walls are oil-paintings of Martin
Middleton of Hazelbadge, and of an old and favourite huntsman and
gamekeeper—honoured and respected retainers of the family.
[Illustration: _Staircase to Minstrels’ Gallery._]
The galleried passage, of a later date, to the Minstrels’ Gallery,
occupies one side, and the “Minstrels’ Gallery” itself one end, of the
Banqueting-Hall—that portion of the gallery along the side forming a
passage from the drawing-room and state apartments on one side to the
range of rooms on the other. The portion of the gallery over the end
of the hall is considerably wider than the other, and would hold a
goodly company of minstrels, or of guests, to look down on the “lord of
misrule” and other revels below. In one of our engravings we show the
panelled front of the Minstrels’ Gallery, and on the preceding page we
give a vignette of the entrance to the gallery from the drawing room.
Passing out from the Banqueting-Hall, the visitor should next enter
the DINING-ROOM, which is one of the most charming, and certainly one
of the most interesting, apartments in the whole building. The end
opposite to the entrance doorway is entirely taken up by a Gothic
window of eight lights, filled with glass disposed in an elaborate
geometric pattern. In some of the lights are shields of arms in stained
glass, one of which displays the arms of Vernon with its quarterings
of Avenell, Pype, &c., &c.; another, Vernon only; and another, Vernon
impaled. This room is wainscoted, the upper row of panels throughout
being filled in with exquisitely-carved Gothic tracery and with
heraldic bearings, &c.
Over the centre of the fire-place are the royal arms of England
(quarterly France and England) with the supporters, a greyhound and a
griffin, and on the one side a shield bearing the three feathers of the
Prince of Wales, with the initials E. P., and on the other the arms
of Vernon with its quarterings, and supported by a lion and a boar.
Below these is the motto, “DREDE GOD AND HONOR THE KYNG,” carved in
Gothic capitals. Near this also is the carved inscription, “Anno Dni
1545. Monseigneir de Vernon,” and, with arms, the initials “G. V.,”
and “M. V.” The remainder of this fine old heraldic frieze contains
a large number of shields bearing the arms of the Vernons and of
the various families allied with them, interspersed with the Vernon
crest, &c. At the end of the room next the fire-place is a small,
but exquisitely beautiful, recessed or oriel window, with seats on
all sides, and forming one of the most delicious little retirements
imaginable—overlooking, as it does, the lawns and terraces, and the
romantic grounds and winding river, of Haddon. This recess is panelled
in the same elaborate heraldic and Gothic manner as the room itself,
and, besides the coats of arms and crests, bears on one of its panels
a grotesque head of a court fool, or jester, traditionally said to
have been intended as a portrait of Will Somers, jester to the “merry
monarch” and to his predecessor; and on two others the heads of Henry
VII. and his Queen, Elizabeth of York.
The ceiling of the dining-room is divided into compartments by
transverse beams, and has been elaborately painted and decorated. In
the large window will be noticed a fine old wine-cooler of bronze, and
the fire-place and fire-dogs are also very curious and interesting.
[Illustration: _Oriel Window in the Dining-room._]
Passing out from the dining-room, the visitor will next ascend
the stone stairs leading up from the Banqueting-Hall to the state
apartments. Arriving at the top of this short staircase he will find
three doorways, that to the left opening into the long gallery, or
ball-room; the one to the right giving access to the drawing-room, the
Earl’s room, &c.; and the third simply opening to a staircase to the
leads, &c. Passing through the door to the right the visitor enters the
DRAWING-ROOM, which is situated over the Dining-room just described.
It is a charming room, hung with grand old tapestry, above which is a
frieze of ornamented mouldings, in pargetting work. This frieze is of
five heights, each being decorated with a separate moulding of raised
festoons, fruits, flowers, &c.
[Illustration: _Ante-room to the Earl’s Bed room._]
To the left, on entering, is a beautiful recessed, or bay, window, over
the similar one in the Dining-room; and from this window one of the
most beautiful views of the terrace, the foot-bridge, the river, and
the grounds, is obtained. This window recess is wainscoted in panels,
which have originally been painted and gilt—portions of the colour and
gilding still remaining; its ceiling is in the form of a large star
of eight points, with intersecting segments of circles attaching the
inner angles to each other, and forming a geometric pattern of great
beauty. The ceiling of the room is also richly ornamented. Above and
around the fire-place the wall is wainscoted in panels, in a similar
manner to the recess. In the fire-place is one of the most curious
of existing grates, the alternate upright bars of which terminate in
_fleurs-de-lis_, and a pair of exquisitely beautiful fire-dogs; the
two bosses on each being of open metal-work, of the most chaste and
elaborate design and workmanship. They are of brass; and the bosses,
which are circular, are designed in foliage and flowers.
[Illustration: _The Ball-room, or Long Gallery._]
In these beautiful remains Haddon is especially rich; but the pair
in this room, and the two remarkably fine enamelled bosses in the
so-called “Chaplain’s Room,” are the most interesting and elegant.
Opposite to the recessed window, a doorway in the tapestry opens upon
the side gallery of the “Banqueting Hall,” and so gives access to,
and communication with, the apartments on the opposite side of the
quadrangle.
The opposite end of the Drawing-room from the entrance doorway is
occupied by a large window, of similar size to that in the Dining-room
beneath it, which overlooks the lower court-yard or quadrangle. In this
room are still preserved some pieces of ancient furniture. Near the
further window a doorway opens into what is called
The EARL’S DRESSING-ROOM, a small but remarkably pretty apartment, hung
with tapestry, and lighted by a recessed window. This room, as shown in
our engraving, immediately communicates with
The EARL’S BED-CHAMBER, so called in connection with the one just
described, because thus occupied by the Earls of Rutland when residing
at Haddon. This room is hung with tapestry representing hunting scenes,
&c. From this chamber a doorway opens into
The LADY’S DRESSING-ROOM, also hung with tapestry, and lighted with a
recessed window. From this room a doorway opens out to the top of the
flight of steps already spoken of as giving access to these apartments
from the lower court-yard. By this means access was easily obtained to
the chapel, and the lord and lady could enter or leave these apartments
without passing through the Banqueting Hall. A small padlocked door,
in the tapestry of this room, leads up a narrow flight of steps to the
leads over the chapel and to the open side of the belfry tower, where
the works of the old clock may be seen.
Returning through the Earl’s Bed-chamber and Dressing-room, from the
fire-grate in which it is said “the celebrated Count Rumford obtained
his plan to prevent chimneys smoking,” and retracing his steps through
the Drawing-room, the visitor passes out to the landing-place of the
staircase leading up from the Banqueting Hall. From this a doorway
leads up to a small rude apartment, with a fire-place, and an old
chest; and also leads to the leads of the roof of the Drawing-room,
Earl’s Bed-room, Long Gallery, &c.
The LONG GALLERY, or BALL-ROOM, one of the glories of fine old Haddon,
is next entered by a flight of semicircular steps of solid oak, said to
have been cut from the root of a single tree that grew in the park of
Haddon, the trunk and arms of which are also asserted to have furnished
the whole of the timber of the floor of the Long Gallery, or Ball-room,
itself. Thus, if the story be true, the whole of the flooring of this
superb apartment, which is 109½ feet in length, and 18 feet in width,
as well as these massive steps outside the room, were obtained from one
single oak-tree grown on the spot.