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出典:『Wikipedia』 (2011/06/06 11:33 UTC 版)

英語による解説

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Brocket Hall is a country house in Hertfordshire, England, 22 miles (35 km) from London by road. It was built for Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet, in around 1760 to designs by the architect James Paine. It stands on the site of two predecessors, the first of which was built in 1239 and the second in about 1430. It is a tall red brick neoclassical house in a fine landscape setting with a Palladian bridge. The main staircase is probably the finest of the interiors. A ceiling was painted by Francis Wheatley. The latter was home to Sir John Brocket a wealthy spice importer and Captain of Queen Elizabeth’s personal guard. The present house is a tall red brick neoclassical house in a fine landscape setting with a Palladian bridge. The interior of the house is not on a grand scale but the exceptions are the main staircase and the Grand Saloon that was decorated specifically for entertaining royalty. The walls are lined with silk, the original furniture was made by Chippendale, the ceiling was painted by Francis Wheatley and the state banqueting table seats eighty people. The cost of this one room is recorded as £1,500 which equated to more than the cost of a substantial manor house at the time. Sir Matthew's son became the first Lord Melbourne and he was often visited at Brocket Hall by the Prince Regent, who had a liaison with Lady Melbourne. The next owner was William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1835-1841. His wife, Caroline, had an affair with Lord Byron causing Lord Melbourne much embarrassment and on one of his birthdays she arranged, at a state banquet in the Saloon, for a surprise course to be served from a large silver dish and when the lid was raised it revealed her completely naked. On his death, the house passed to his sister, who was to marry Lord Palmerston who also became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and who died at Brocket while still in office, reputedly on the billiards table whilst in the embrace of a chambermaid (his nickname was ‘Cupid’). Queen Victoria was another frequent visitor to Brocket.