.jpg)
Built between 1685 and 1687 by Sir John Brownlow, 3rd Baronet, Belton House in Lincolnshire is one of the finest examples of Carolean (Restoration) architecture. Carolean being considered the only truly vernacular style of architecture that England has produced since the Tudor period.
.jpg)
The house was fitted with the most upto date innovations, such as sash windows for the principal rooms, and the layout followed the latest thinking on house planning. Successive generations have altered the interior of the house reflecting their changing social position and tastes, yet the fabric and design of the house have changed little. I no longer take interior shots of houses visited, but the following two items in particular caught my eye in Belton House.
.jpg)
This exquisitely carved tomb was sculptured by Nina for her husband when he died in 1917. It resides in the church of St. Peter & St. Paul which overlooks the gardens at Belton House. He had been the heir apparent to the barony of Brownlow, the Cust baronetcy and to the extensive Cust estates centred on Belton House. However, having predeceased the 3rd Earl by three years, the inheritance fell to his surviving younger brother. Nina too was finally laid to rest besides her husband when she died 38 years later in 1955 at the age of 88 years.
Belton's Conservatory was crafted around a cast-iron sub-frame, making it the first garden building of its type in England.
A beautiful place! "Philandering husband" is a restrained understatement, lol. His Wikipedia entry suggests he had many illegitimate children among the British peerage and their servants, even rumoured to have been Margaret Thatcher's grandfather.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that you were sufficiently interested to google more Debra - apparently all of the offsprings were blessed with lovely sapphire blue eyes. Delving into the lives of others often proves to be fascinating. If I hadn't loved the enamel plaque of Nina none of this would have come to light here.
DeleteInteresting story, history and the Belton house is just BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteLove from Titti
💚
DeleteLovely house and grounds. With the current electricity and gas bills plus maintenance and staff wages even the super rich must be groaning at the cost of living increases. Watched a TV prog tonight about a grand estate, privately owned, employing over 200 staff with the owners saying exactly that with hundreds of rooms to keep free of dampness and mold. I'd imagine the N.T. is the same across all its properties.
ReplyDeleteThe NT is the largest land and property owner in the country - it really must be a giant headache.
DeleteVery nice garden and home, always good to see.
ReplyDeleteVery recently I have been looking at homes mainly that the Pitt's owned back in the 1600's as they are part of family from way back.
I wonder if you know exactly where your family originated from - England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland?
DeletePitt, Vicent from England but also have Irish, Scottish, Wales, a mixed bag so to speak.
DeleteThere were several Pitt's in Parliament, 2 Prime Ministers and so on..
Your ancestry is very very British then Margaret.
DeleteThat area of The Tree is Rosemary. Thank you for your reply.
DeleteBelton House is very pleasing to the eye. I had to look up Carolean architecture and see that it is characterized by symmetry, rectangular windows, and a pitched roof, all of which add up to magnificence here. Poor Nina with her philandering husband.
ReplyDeletePoor Nina indeed.
DeleteNice tour.
ReplyDeleteWe were fortunate to have calm weather and blue skies.
DeleteIt is incredible to contemplate that people amassed so much wealth that they could afford to construct and maintain such places, to say nothing of hosting the feasts that took place there. The philandering probably didn’t add to the cost at all!
ReplyDeleteBut many hearts were broken!
DeleteHello Rosemary, That is some tomb carving! I wonder if the faithful dog at the end is a sincere monument to their actual dog, or an eternal remonstrance to remind her husband of his erring ways. A very handsome house, by the way!
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - you are correct the dog was a faithful and very much loved pet. Nina adored her husband and even chose to be with him in death.
DeleteSuch a beautiful place, and the gardens look lovely.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your photographs and narration.
I do hope you enjoyed the homemade soup with cheese scone - it sounds just the perfect light meal before journeying home.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan - NT cafes appear to be consistently good when it comes to their homemade meals and freshly baked treats.
DeleteBelton House looks very beautiful, in lovely surroundings. I really like the two female portraits too. Nina Cust was an incredible sculptor, and the tomb is beautiful. Thank you for explaining Carolean architecture, a new term to me. The House is a very fine example indeed.
ReplyDeleteI like the way that both portraits beautifully typify the period in which they were done.
DeleteThe Cockayne-Custs owned land near here at Cockayne Hatley. Henry's grandfather restored the church in that village in fine style. It always amazes me how the wealthy of those days seemed to own property in all sorts of unrelated locations.
ReplyDeleteI got the impression that Belton House was a bit of a showcase rather than a lived in home, and obviously one of many properties that were owned.
DeleteThank you. Lovely colour in the gardens. I am sure the soup and scone were delicious.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they were.
DeleteLooks like you’ve enjoyed autumn trip one after another, Rosemary. I myself is catching up. Belton House and its garden is so beautiful. I love this architectural style with the exterior made of limestone bricks. “Philandering” is a new English word to me. Nina is such a talented sculptor and a generous wife to make such a beautiful and ornate coffin for her husband who had caused emotional suffering to her.
ReplyDeleteYoko
An exquisite place.
ReplyDelete👍
Delete