History of Llangollen and Its Vicinity: Including a Circuit of About Seven Miles — John Shaqi
History of Llangollen and Its Vicinity: Including a Circuit of About Seven MilesSimpson, W. T. (Wilfrid Tord)
History
History of Llangollen and Its Vicinity: Including a Circuit of About Seven Miles
Simpson, W. T. (Wilfrid Tord)
Llangollen (Wales)
Advancing a few steps into the interior, the eye is arrested by the
brilliancy of the scene which breaks upon the sight. Immediately in
front, through the spacious hall, is a grand flight of stairs, terminated
by a richly stained glass window, and leading to a gallery that surrounds
the hall, and which is decorated with the busts of much distinguished and
eminent persons, as the King, the Duke of York, the Duke of Wellington,
&c. Up the passage to the left hand, the view is bounded by the superb
dining room; and on the right it terminates in a charming conservatory,
through which is a way to the pleasure grounds and gardens. From the
dining room on the extreme left, to the conservatory on the right, it is
about one hundred and sixty feet.
To particularize or to give an adequate idea of the superb and very
tasteful decorations of every room in this elegant mansion is far beyond
my power of description; and therefore I dare not make the attempt.
Suffice it to say, that every nook seems decorated by the hand of taste,
guided by the most correct judgment; all is elegantly superb, and
chastely grand. In some of the windows is much old painted glass,
particularly in the library, where there are some very excellent
specimens.
Here is also a valuable collection of china; and in one of the rooms are
some beautiful vases of that fragile material.
The mansion is adorned throughout with valuable pictures by the old
masters, some of which his Lordship selected in Italy. There is a
landscape near the fire-place, in the same room where the china vases
stand, painted by Claude Lorraine, which is a most beautiful production
of that great master. In short,
“Whatever in this worldly state
Is sweet and pleasing unto living sense,
Or that may daintiest fantasie aggrate,
Is poured forth with plentiful dispense,
And made there to abound with lavish affluence.”
SPENCER.
The beauty and elegance abounding in this place must be seen to be justly
appreciated; and the urbanity and gentlemanly condescension of the noble
owner, in affording me the means of gratifying my inquiries and
curiosity, will never be effaced from my memory.
In the adjoining shrubbery is an ornamental building called the china
room, fitted up (it would be superfluous to say elegantly) by Lady
Dungannon. Within the room are deposited the most valuable and beautiful
specimens of old china. The walls are covered with plates, dishes, &c.
in many various figures and forms. There is a fire-place in the room,
and a small portable collection of books for the amusement of a passing
hour. In a room adjoining is an assemblage of cream-coloured pottery, in
its greatest variety; and behind all, is a cool, well arranged dairy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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