The Sitting Room
Many of the items in this room were saved from the fire by brave firemen passing the contents out through the windows. The Robert Adam chimneypiece, saved originally from Adelphi Terrace, London, thankfully survived the fire largely unscathed. On its mantelpiece are several urns made from Blue John stone, including a vase with intricate beadwork and a pineapple finial, supported by three gilt-bronze griffins kneeling on a trefoil-shaped gilt-metal garlanded platform. Don't miss the roundels either side of the door painted by Swiss artist Henry Fuseli, depicting Shakespearean scenes.
The Dining Room
The Robert Adam plasterwork ceiling originally came from Lord Rosebery's house at 38 Berkeley Square, London. Although half the ceiling was destroyed in the fire, as were the original Angelica Kauffmann-painted roundels, enough survived so that moulds could be taken to reproduce the damaged sections. Renowned painter Elizabeth Biddulph was then commissioned to paint new roundels in an 18th century style.
The giltwood pier-glass (or mirror) is another Robert Adam design. Dating from 1773, it is one of a pair, the other can be found in Basildon Park. The mahogany sideboard in the alcove was something of a bargain, picked up during the war for just £8.