INTERIORS AND DETAILS.
It is remarkable what pretty bits of detail we often come across in old
cottages; unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain for
certain whether these are “in situ” or whether they have originally
belonged to more important buildings and have found their way down
to the cottages, just as ladies’ dresses find themselves after some
time in more humble hands than those for which they were originally
intended. A beautiful partition, or screen, which we give from a small
farmhouse or cottage at Toppesfield, in Essex, is a case in point;
it may have always formed a portion of the building in which it now
stands, or it may have been removed from some more stately one. It is
singularly well preserved, but seems to be almost too elaborate and
costly a work to have been made for a house which is little more than a
cottage. However, as we have seen from examples at Clare and Newport,
the exteriors of cottages were sometimes elaborately adorned; and if
the exterior, why not the interior?
[Illustration: BRICK CHIMNEY, AMERSHAM.]
The screen or partition at Toppesfield is carved in oak, and what is
very remarkable is the fact that while the four lower ranges of panels
are English in style, the top range, with the heads introduced, is like
French work.
[Illustration: AT TOPPESFIELD.]
The two mantelpieces and fireplaces, which we illustrate, are certainly
in their original places, and have not been removed. The example from
Alfreston dates from the second half of the sixteenth century, and the
very singular one at Amersham from the earlier part of the seventeenth.
The latter has a pretty but very uncommon feature about it. The ingle
nooks are pierced by little windows, so that when sitting down to warm
yourself at the fire you can look out of the window at the same time,
a great advantage to the aged and infirm, who cannot move about very
readily, and yet get tired of looking always at the fire or always out
of the window.
Sometimes the ceilings of the rooms in cottages are very pretty
examples of ornamental plaster work. A cottage at Margate, which
was recently pulled down, had a singularly elegant plaster ceiling,
with the same motto repeated over and over again, and in every case
misspelt; the words were intended to be “Ich Dien,” but the mistake
“Ich pien” was repeated throughout.
While speaking on ornamental plaster work it is known that during the
sixteenth century rye-dough was frequently mixed with the plaster to
obtain sharp and delicate work. This material dries very hard, as any
of our girls who have been educated at a German school will know from
their experience of black bread which is over a week old.
Our remaining sketch represents one of those prettily-cut brick
chimneys which are so very ornamental in Tudor houses and cottages.
The example here given is at Amersham. The two chimneys are almost of
the same design, which in one case is nearly four times the scale of
the other, and it is worthy of notice how totally different is the
effect of the same pattern in a large and a small scale. A complete and
thorough understanding of this fact is all important to the architect
and the decorator! Chimneys are often very beautiful objects. Perhaps
the most magnificent examples are to be seen at East Barsham Hall,
near Walsingham, Norfolk. This building, the finest example of Tudor
domestic work in the country, deserves better treatment than it has
received. Portions of it are in ruins, and one part of it cooked
up into a farmhouse. How it is that this splendid mansion was ever
abandoned and left to fall into ruins is unintelligible. Nowhere
is more elaborate or beautiful carved brickwork to be seen. Great
coats-of-arms, badges, lions, and elaborate Gothic tracery are all to
be found carved out of the finest red brick.
[Illustration: AT ALFRESTON, ESSEX.]
But the beautiful architectural works in Norfolk, which are rapidly
being reduced to ruins, are indeed a sad story for those who are
interested in ancient memorials or beautiful works of art.
[Illustration: AT AMERSHAM. (_See page 716._)]
(_To be concluded._)
SHEILA’S COUSIN EFFIE.
A STORY FOR GIRLS.
BY EVELYN EVERETT-GREEN, Author of “Greyfriars,” “Half-a-dozen
Sisters,” etc.