FOOTS CRAY PLACE, in Kent, about twelve miles from London, is the seat of Bouchier Cleeve, Esq; and was built by himself, after a design of Palladio, of the Ionic order, and is very elegant. The original design had four porticoes, three of which are filled up to get more room. The hall is octagonal, and has a gallery round which conveys you to the bed chambers. It is enlightened from the top, and is very beautiful. The edifice is built of stone, but the offices, which are on each side at some distance, are brick. The house stands on a rising ground, with a gradual descent from it till you come to the water, which from the house appears to be a small river gliding along through the whole length of the ground: and in that part of the water which is opposite to the house, there is a fine cascade constantly flowing out of it. But this water which appears to be such a pretty natural stream, is in reality artificial, and is brought from the river Cray which runs just by. When the canal or cut which is made through the ground to receive the water from the river is full, it forms the cascade before the house, by flowing over in that place, and the surplus water being instantly buried in the ground, is again conveyed away under this cut or canal to the main stream. The chief beauty of the ground about the house consists in its simplicity, it being entirely without ornament, and the whole of it a kind of lawn, having little besides the plain turf. The situation is pleasant, and the prospect from the house very good. The disposition of the rooms within the house appear to be very convenient, and the several apartments are elegantly finished and suitably furnished. The Chinese bed and other furniture of this kind in the principal bed chamber, is perfectly beautiful. The gallery, which extends the whole length of the north front of the house, is a very grand room, and is filled with pictures by the most eminent masters; and there are several other good pieces of this kind in the dining room and parlour, of all which the following is an exact list. Pictures at Foots Cray Place. Common Parlour. Seven sea pieces, Vandeveldt. A small Dutch kitchen, Calf. Landscape, Wynantz. Mocking Christ, Bassano. View of the Rialto, Marieschi. View of St. Mark’s place and Bull feast at Venice, Canaletti and Chimeroli. Moon light, Vandeneer. Emblematical picture, Gulio Carpioni. Landscape under it, by Glauber; figures by Laress. Doge’s palace, Carlovarin. A sea port and market in Holland, Wenix. Landscape by Glauber; figures by Laress. A smith’s shop, Old Wyke. Oval landscape, Lambert. Gallery West End. Landscape morning, Claude Lorrain. Ditto evening, ditto. Venus and Cupid, Vandyke. Landscape, Both.