The life and works of Sir Charles BarryBarry, Alfred
General
The life and works of Sir Charles Barry
Barry, Alfred
Architects -- Great Britain -- Biography; Barry, Charles, 1795-1860
The main building he did not alter, except by suggesting a portico to
the entrance front, known to have formed a part of the original design,
though never actually executed; but he swept away a mass of subordinate
buildings on each side, containing the existing offices and stables,
and, designing a noble entrance court in proportion to the massive scale
of the building, he flanked it with two blocks of buildings (containing
the accommodation required), symmetrically designed, and showing
remarkable boldness of detail. These new blocks of building he connected
with the central building with quadrantal corridors, closed to the side
of the entrance court, but open to the private gardens on the other
side.
Having thus given grandeur and unity to a previously ineffective
building, he proceeded to connect it with the scenery around. He altered
the great avenue of approach through the park, so as to bring it, where
it approached the new entrance court, into a position of centrality to
the building. On the other side he remodelled the private gardens in his
favourite Italian style, and so gave to the windows of the private
apartments a view more suitable than that of the grass fields, into
which they had previously looked.
The effect, as usual, was to give the house perfect novelty and dignity
of effect, by utilising to the utmost size and capabilities
comparatively wasted before.
HAREWOOD HOUSE.--A somewhat similar work was carried out for the Earl of
Harewood, in the years 1843 to 1850. Harewood House is situated about
nine miles from Leeds, in a position of great beauty, looking over the
valley of the Wharfe. It was a house of some scale and pretension, built
in 1759, by Messrs. Carr and Adams, with a lofty centre, having a large
engaged Corinthian order, and connected by lower curtains with the
wings, which were plainer in design.
It had apparently some massiveness of design and merits of proportion.
It needed finish, life, and variety. The treatment of the work by Mr.
Barry (additional accommodation being required) was simply to raise the
wings, altering their design so as to bring them into greater importance
and greater harmony with the centre, and to improve the design of the
centre itself, by adding a handsome balustrade, and by raising the
chimney-stacks to the dignity of architectural features, so as to vary
the flat and monotonous lines of the former roof. Little else was done
except that some beautiful carving (by Mr. Thomas), in the pediment and
elsewhere, gave the greater richness and life which the original design
wanted. But the effect was considerable, and the house now commands
attention, not only by its scale and proportion, but by the evidence of
taste and design visible throughout.
In the interior the work merely included some alteration and enlargement
of the principal rooms and basement, and some new decorations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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