| T h e E n t r a n c e H a l l |
|
 |
|
This room retains its Georgian proportions, William Atkinson’s simple plaster ceiling, and Portland stone paved floor. Atkinson’s staircase is cleverly designed so that its bottom flight is on the central axis of the hall and rises from immediately opposite the front door. The division between the staircase and the entrance hall is marked by plaster brackets on either side, and a pair of classical bronze Colza oil lamps designed for the house by Atkinson. These lamps were fed by oil in the central urns: the oil itself was derived from Colza cabbages and gave a brighter light than conventional lamps. The rare glass shades above were intended to prevent the fumes from blackening the ceiling.
Some of the best portraits are hung in the hall. On the right, over the mahogany side table, is a fine double canvas by Sir Peter Lely of the 3rd Earl of Thanet and his wife Elizabeth Boyle, ancestors of Admiral John Leveson Gower. The latter, and his wife Frances Boscawen, are depicted in a charming portrait by Romney which hangs to the right of the door. John Leveson Gower alone, painted by Reynolds, hangs to the left of the door.
|
The Entrance Hall  |
Their son, William, married Katherine Maria Gresham, heiress of Titsey. Over
the chimneypiece is a portrait by Cornelius Ketel (a Dutch artist who worked in England) of William Gresham, son of the purchaser of the Titsey Estate, which is dated 1579. On either side of him hang dashing military portraits of Sir John Doyle Bt, GCB, who fought against Napoleon in Egypt and was the great-uncle of Emily Doyle, wife of William Leveson Gower II, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, and of her grandfather Major General Welbore Ellis Doyle, Assistant Governor of Ceylon, by Sir William Beechey. The Lawrence portrait was bought by Granville Leveson Gower from Donnington Hall, Leicestershire, at the sale of the Marquess of Hastings in 1869. At the foot of the staircase are two sixteenth century portraits of Sir John Gresham who bought Titsey. One of them is dated 1534. The other sixteenth century portrait is by a Flemish artist and is traditionally said to be of Sir Thomas Gresham, the nephew of Sir John. He holds a parchment inscribed ‘Por Madona Crestina Leona’. The seventeenth/eighteenth century chairs with tall carved backs have modern needlework seats showing the Leveson Gower arms quartered with the Gresham arms. The mahogany long case clock at the foot of the stairs was made by Joseph Allingham of Sanderstead. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
T I T S E Y P L A C E & G A R D E N S
O X T E D, S U R R E Y |
|
|
|
|
