Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'The Ground-plot forms a long parallelogram; the extent of the building
from north to south being 480 feet, and from east to west, about 125
feet: of this space, upwards of two thirds is occupied by the Royal
apartments and their appendages; and the remainder by the great
kitchen, chapel, servants' rooms, and domestic offices.
'Since the Pavilion was first built, it has been greatly and
progressively enlarged, as above detailed, and, together with the
adjoining grounds and stabling, it now occupies an extensive plot of
ground, nearly in the centre of the town, and immediately contiguous to
the far famed Steyne and Parade. The whole of the demesne comprises ten
acres, the principal part of which was obtained by purchase, and the
rest by grant from the manorial owners and town's people.
'The principal, or eastern front of the Palace, opens on to a lawn,
which is merely separated from the Steyne Parade by a low wall and
dwarf enclosure, at the distance, from the building, of 170 feet.
On the north side are shrubberies; and, on the west, which includes
the main entrance, are the pleasure grounds and carriage drive. The
southern extremity, comprehending the Chapel Royal and offices,
projects into Castle Square.
'From this Plate, it would seem that this front might be described as
consisting of seven parts; namely, a centre, of a curvilinear form,
connected by adjoining divisions to two wings, and those again flanked
by square buildings, forming returns to the north and south: yet
this is not strictly the case, the southern return never having been
completed. In all other respects the Elevation is correct.
'The Centre division which includes the _Rotunda_, or _Saloon_, and has
a semicircular arcade in front, is crowned by a vast dome, presenting
the appearance of an inverted balloon, tapering upwards into a lofty
pinnacle, the point of which is more than one hundred feet from the
ground. The dome is surrounded by a horizontal band of twenty eight
conjoined ovals (crossing a similar number of vertical ribs), most of
which are pierced as windows to the several small apartments contained
in its concavity. It is also flanked by two octagonal minarets, and
appears to rise from a basement cone, faced with scale work. Smaller
domes, of a more compressed form, surmount the semicircular recesses
which adjoin the Saloon; these have ornamental bands and vertical ribs,
but no windows. The arcade spandrils are filled up with curvilinear
trellis work, inclosing quatrefoils; and, over the middle part, is the
Prince of Wales's crest, and this inscription:
'"H.R.H. GEORGE. P.W.
A.D. MDCCCXI."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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