French manner, with avenues and arbors and a long canal bordered by limes. At the rear of the garden was a terrace,
400 paces long, with a large Semicircle in the middle, from whence are beheld the Queenâs two parks, and a great part of Surry; then going down a few steps you walk on the banks of a canal 600 yards long and 17 broad, with two rows of Limes on each side.
On one side of this Terrace a Wall covered with Roses and Jassemines [sic] is made low to admit the view of a meadow full of cattle just under it, (no disagreeable object in the midst of a great city) and at each end a descent into parterres with fountains and water-works.
Inside all was magnificence. From the courtyard, as the Duke of Buckingham had written,
we mount to a Terrace in the front of a large Hall, paved with square white stones mixed with dark-coloured marble, the walls thereof covered with a sett of pictures done in the school of Raphael. Out of this, on the right hand, we go into a parlour 33 foot by 39, with a niche 15 foot broad for a Buvette, paved with white marble, and placed within an arch, with pilasters of divers colours, the upper part of which as high as the ceiling is painted by Ricci.
From hence we pass through a suite of large rooms, into a bedchamber of 34 foot by 27, within it a large closet which opens out into a green-house.
The King was to take the ground floor for himself, giving Queen Charlotte the whole of the first floor. As the Duke described, it was reached by
eight and forty steps, ten foot broad, each step of one entire Portland stone. These stairs, by the help of two resting places are so very easy there is no need of leaning on the iron balluster. The walls are painted with the story of Dido.
The roof of this staircase, which is 55 foot from the ground, is of 40 foot by 36, filled with the figures of Gods and Goddesses. In the midst is Juno, condescending to beg assistance from Venus, to bring about a marriage which the Fates intended should be the ruin of her own darling Queen and People â¦
From a wide landing place on the stair head, great double doors opened into a succession of rooms, some overlooking the gardens at the rear with a distant view of Chelsea fields, others with a splendid view from the front of St Jamesâs Park, the Banqueting House and West-minster Abbey.
The first room on this floor has within it a closet of original pictures [the Duke of Buckinghamâs], which as yet are not so entertaining as the delightful prospect from the window. Out of the second room a pair of great doors give entrance into the Saloon, which is 35 foot high, 36 broad and 45 long. In the midst of its roof a round picture by Gentileschi, 18 foot in diameter, represents the Muses playing in concert to Apollo, lying along a cloud to hear them. The rest of the room is adorned with paintings relating to the Arts and Sciences; and underneath divers original pictures hang all in good lights, by the help of an upper row of windows which drown the glaring.
Above were rooms for children and servants, âthe floors so contrivedâ, wrote the Duke, âas to prevent all noise over my wifeâs headâ. 7
The King had chosen well. The site alone was well worth the £28,000 he had paid and was to be one of the main attractions of Buckingham Palace in years to come. Though George III was to alter and rebuild, the core of Buckingham Palace today is the Duke of Buckinghamâs house.
Unfortunately Buckingham House had never been designed for a large family, each with a household of its own â as Queen Victoria would later discover. Year after year, Queen Charlotte produced another prince or princess with astonishing ease, and before long she and the King would go further afield for their country air, to Kew and Richmond and later to Windsor.
âThe Apollo of the Artsâ
Now, though, with great enthusiasm, the King began furnishing and rebuilding his new house. Though he was young, he had
400 paces long, with a large Semicircle in the middle, from whence are beheld the Queenâs two parks, and a great part of Surry; then going down a few steps you walk on the banks of a canal 600 yards long and 17 broad, with two rows of Limes on each side.
On one side of this Terrace a Wall covered with Roses and Jassemines [sic] is made low to admit the view of a meadow full of cattle just under it, (no disagreeable object in the midst of a great city) and at each end a descent into parterres with fountains and water-works.
Inside all was magnificence. From the courtyard, as the Duke of Buckingham had written,
we mount to a Terrace in the front of a large Hall, paved with square white stones mixed with dark-coloured marble, the walls thereof covered with a sett of pictures done in the school of Raphael. Out of this, on the right hand, we go into a parlour 33 foot by 39, with a niche 15 foot broad for a Buvette, paved with white marble, and placed within an arch, with pilasters of divers colours, the upper part of which as high as the ceiling is painted by Ricci.
From hence we pass through a suite of large rooms, into a bedchamber of 34 foot by 27, within it a large closet which opens out into a green-house.
The King was to take the ground floor for himself, giving Queen Charlotte the whole of the first floor. As the Duke described, it was reached by
eight and forty steps, ten foot broad, each step of one entire Portland stone. These stairs, by the help of two resting places are so very easy there is no need of leaning on the iron balluster. The walls are painted with the story of Dido.
The roof of this staircase, which is 55 foot from the ground, is of 40 foot by 36, filled with the figures of Gods and Goddesses. In the midst is Juno, condescending to beg assistance from Venus, to bring about a marriage which the Fates intended should be the ruin of her own darling Queen and People â¦
From a wide landing place on the stair head, great double doors opened into a succession of rooms, some overlooking the gardens at the rear with a distant view of Chelsea fields, others with a splendid view from the front of St Jamesâs Park, the Banqueting House and West-minster Abbey.
The first room on this floor has within it a closet of original pictures [the Duke of Buckinghamâs], which as yet are not so entertaining as the delightful prospect from the window. Out of the second room a pair of great doors give entrance into the Saloon, which is 35 foot high, 36 broad and 45 long. In the midst of its roof a round picture by Gentileschi, 18 foot in diameter, represents the Muses playing in concert to Apollo, lying along a cloud to hear them. The rest of the room is adorned with paintings relating to the Arts and Sciences; and underneath divers original pictures hang all in good lights, by the help of an upper row of windows which drown the glaring.
Above were rooms for children and servants, âthe floors so contrivedâ, wrote the Duke, âas to prevent all noise over my wifeâs headâ. 7
The King had chosen well. The site alone was well worth the £28,000 he had paid and was to be one of the main attractions of Buckingham Palace in years to come. Though George III was to alter and rebuild, the core of Buckingham Palace today is the Duke of Buckinghamâs house.
Unfortunately Buckingham House had never been designed for a large family, each with a household of its own â as Queen Victoria would later discover. Year after year, Queen Charlotte produced another prince or princess with astonishing ease, and before long she and the King would go further afield for their country air, to Kew and Richmond and later to Windsor.
âThe Apollo of the Artsâ
Now, though, with great enthusiasm, the King began furnishing and rebuilding his new house. Though he was young, he had
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