Chevening House

( 127 ) CHEVENING HOUSE. BY CANON SCOTT ROBERTSON. ' ROMAN MONUMENTS. IN the garden of Chevening House there are several ancient Roman monuments, which were sent home from Spain in or about the year 1708, by General Stanhope, who purchased Chevening nine years after that date. These Roman monuments were presented to the General, by 'the Cuerpo Municipal of Tarragona, as a token of gratitude for the great services he had rendered to that town and to Spain. One of the monuments bears an important inscription, which has been printed in the Anthologia Veterum Latinorum (cura Burmanni, Amsterdam, A.D. 1773), vol. ii., p. xxxv. The editor of that edition of the Anthologia was not aware that this monument had been presented to General Stanhope, and by him transported to England. Burman supposed that it still remained where it had been seen, in the seventeenth century by Andrew Schott, at Tarragona, "in angulo horti Commensalis Pocorrull."* The late Earl Stanhope, the well-known historian, from whose memorandum printed in 1864 all my information is obtained, calls it a monument of the Blue Faction, Factionis Venetae, from the first words of the inscription, which speak of it as an altar dedicated to Fusous, a member of that Faction. Lord Stanhope refers, in explanation of this term, to Gibbon's description of the remarkable divisions and strife which prevailed in ancient society, at Rome and Constantinople, between the Blue and Green Factions of the Circus.f One or two lines of the inscription are defaced by a fracture in the monument, so that the perfect copy made by Schott, and printed in the Anthologia, is now valuable. Modern punctuation was inserted by Lord Stanhope in the following copy, to render it more intelligible: * Soheduloe Andreae Sohotti manu exaratae in Bibliothecft Regia Madridensi. f Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. vii., p. 78, ed. Dr. Milman. 128 CHEVENING HOUSE. " PACTIONIS VENETAE FTTSCO SACEAVIMUS AEAM, DE NOSTEO CEETI STUDIOSI ET BENE AMANTES; UT SCIEENT CUNCTI MONIMENTUM ET PIGNUS AMOEIS. INTEGEA EAMA TIBI. LAUDEM CUESUS MEEUISTI. CEETASTI MULTIS. NULLUM PATTPEE TIMUISTI. INVIDIAM PASSUS SEMPER EOETIS TACUISTI; PULCHEE VIXISTI; FATO MOETALIS OBISTI. QUISQUIS HOMO ES QUAEBES TALEM. SUBSISTS VIATOE, PEELEGE SI MEMOE ES, SI NOSTI QUIS EUEEIT VIE. POKTUNAM METUANT OMNES; DISCES TAMEN UNUM PUSCUS HABET (TITULOS MOETIS HABET) TUMULUM. CONTEGIT OSSA LAPIS. BENE HABET, EOETUNA, VALEBIS. EUNDIMUS INSONTI LACEIMAS, NUNC VENA. PEECAMUE UT JACEAS PLACIDE. NEMO TUI SIMILIS. TOTS SOT2 ArilNAS AIHN AAAH2EI." CHEVENING HOUSE. This house is of three periods. I . The central portion, or main building, was erected for RICHAED LENNAED, 13th LOED DACEE of the SOUTH, by Inigo Jones, between the years 1616 and 1630. His grandson, Thomas, Lord Dacre, was created Earl of Sussex by King Charles II.', and died without male issue in 1715. The Earl's daughters sold Chevening, in 1717, to General Stanhope (a grandson of the 1st Earl of Chesterfield), who was created Earl Stanhope in the following year. I I . JAMES, 1ST EAEL STANHOPE, added shallow wings to the east and west sides of the house, erected large detached wings, north-east and north-west of the house, with which he connected them by means of two curved galleries. The lake, south of the house, was also formed by the first Earl. The works, being unfinished when he died in Pebruary 1721, were continued by his widow (nee Lucy Pitt), an aunt of the great Earl of Chatham. She died in 1723. I I I . CHAELES, 3rd EAEL STANHOPE, who held the title from 1786 to 1816, hid the red bricks, employed by Inigo Jones, with a facing of cream-coloured mathematical tiles. He also added the stone pilasters upon the front, and all the stonework about the front door and about the basement. He removed the kitchengarden (which had flanked the house east and west), and placed it on the north-west, across the road. THE HALL. The dimensions of the Hall, 31 feet by 28, were planned by Inigo Jones. The panelling was all renewed, or added, about 1720. Over CHEVENING HOUSE. 129 the doorway, inside, is a shield bearing a monogram of the word Stanhope, surmounted by an earl's coronet. The fairy-like circular staircase of old oak was finished in or about 1722; it has 56 steps, 28 in each of its two tiers. Its design was chosen by the first Earl, when he saw one like it in the house of Captain Dubois, a Prenchman, in Brewer Street, Soho. Captain Dubois superintended the erection of the staircase here. The arms which form trophies upon the walls belonged to a disbanded regiment of militia, and were given to Thomas Pitt, Earl of Londonderry, brother of the first Countess Stanhope. The muskets and pistols were all made in Dublin, during the reign of Queen Anne, and bear the initials of two manufacturers, C. 0. and P. T. The names of individual militiamen, e.g., W. JUGGINS, W. ROSE, I. VAUGHAN, and G. KEEN, are engraved upon some of the rifles. On the east wall a fine suit of armour inlaid with gold is flanked by two sword trophies, each formed of 48 swords interlaced like lattice-work. Each blade is stamped with the figure of a fox running. Planking the latticed swords, are trophies formed each of 32 muskets (16 horizontal and 16 vertical). Above the vertical muskets, on each side, are 36 pistols ; around the helmet are other 20 ; and above all is a circle of 36 pistols surrounding the arms of Earl Stanhope. In the four angles of a parallelogram around that circle there are 36 sword-blades; nine in each angle. Upon many of the pistol-heads are brass plates engraved with the crest of a bull's head issuing from a ducal coronet, and surmounted by an earl's coronet. Upstairs in the Hall, a glass-case contains: (i) A despatch-box of William Pitt, with the royal cipher of King George; (ii) An ivory medallion portrait of the first Earl Stanhope when thirty-five years old in 1708; (iii) His ivory snuff-box, used at Barcelona; (iv) A miniature of Napoleon I . ; (v) Part of the oak under which Wellington stood at Waterloo; (vi) Telescope used by the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo; (vii) Gold powder-horn, once the property of Tippoo Sahib, presented to Mr. Pitt, and by him given to Lady Hester Stanhope; (viii) Necklace which belonged to Lady Hester Stanhope; (ix) Gold pen and pencil holder, given by Philip, second Earl Stanhope, to his wife Grisel on their wedding-day in 1745; (x) Snuff-box used by James, first Earl Stanhope, on his campaigns; (xi) Silver box containing Freedom of the City of Geneva, and presented to Philip, second Earl Stanhope, in 1776; (xii) Seven miniatures: (1) Hon. Alexander Stanhope; (2) Philip, second Earl Stan- VOL, XVI. K 130 CHEVENING HOUSE. hope; (3) Philip, Lord Mahon, his son; (4) Grisel, second Countess Stanhope; (5) Lady Dalmeny; (6) Emily, Lady Mahon; (7) Hon. George Stanhope, died 1828. On the eastern wall of the Hall (upstairs) are portraits of (1) Thomas Pitt (1653—1726), with the Pitt diamond—his daughter married the first Earl Stanhope; (2) King George I . ; (3) James, first Earl Stanhope (1674—1721). In the WEST VESTIBULE (upstairs) there is a remarkable portrait of the third Earl as Charles, Viscount Mahon, " Commandeur de VExercice de I'Arc." It is an allegorical picture, with a white Cap of Liberty on a pole; an olive branch ; the scales of Justice, and book of "Les Loix;" a bow and sheaf of arrows, and an armorial shield of Geneva, bearing half a black eagle, impaling Gules, a key. Philip, the second Earl, and his wife Grisel, Countess Stanhope, passed several years (circa 1763-76) at Geneva, for the education of their only surviving son Charles, Viscount Mahon. In the SOUTH BEDEOOM is an ancient Elizabethan bedstead, with tester and posts of carved oak. It came from Hever Castle, whence it was purchased in 1860 by the late Earl Stanhope. THE' BOUDOIE of Lady Stanhope is entirely hung with exquisite tapestry, presented in 1708 to General James Stanhope (1st Earl) by Frederick the First, King of Prussia. The King's monogram is wrought across the Prussian arms in the tapestry. On a pale brown ground are wrought various bright scenes. The very large panel covering the wall opposite the fireplace represents King Solomon receiving the Queen of Sheba. Over the mantelpiece is a portrait of the first Earl Stanhope by Denner. The CHATHAM ROOM is a bedchamber on the eastern side of the house, with windows looking north. Portraits of Hester (ne'e Grenville), Countess Chatham, 1750, by Diepenbeck, of W. Pitt, and others are here. A mirror bears the monogram of Thomas Pitt, father of the first Countess Stanhope. PORTRAITS IN THE DRAWING-ROOMS. WEST WALL. The 1st Earl of Chatham in Peer's robes. Sir Peter Lely Anne Hyde, Duchess of Tork. Allan Ramsay Philip, 2nd Earl Stanhope, ob. 1786. Allan Ramsay Mary Lepel, Lady Hervey. Sir Peter Lely Elizabeth, Countess of Chesterfield. CHEVENING HOUSE. 13 1 EAST WALL. Allan Bamsay Anne, Countess Temple. Gainsborough 4th Earl of Chesterfield (over fireplace). Richard, Earl Temple. Schalclcen, 1702 Mary (nie Stanhope), Viscountess Fane. Gainsborough William Pitt, the younger (over fireplace). Col. Edw. Stanhope (killed 1711 at Cardona). WESTERN VESTIBULE OF DRAW.ING-ROOMS. Jackson Duke of Wellington. Sir Josh. Reynolds...Charles, Earl of Harrington. Lucy (ne'e Pitt), 1st Countess Stanhope. George Keith (attainted 1715), Earl Marshal. Dickenson Philip Henry, 5th Earl Stanhope (the Historian). PORTRAITS IN THE DINING-ROOM. WEST WALL. Gainsborough Charles, 3rd Earl Stanhope, ob. 1816 (over fireplace). Allan Ramsay Philip, 2nd Earl Stanhope, ob. 1786. Allan Ramsay Grisel, 2nd Countess Stanhope, ob. 1811. NOETH WALL. Mary, Countess Beauchamp (1876). Buckner Hon. Ed. Stanhope. Buckner Arthur Philip, 6th Earl Stanhope. Buckner Evelyn, 6th Countess Stanhope (1871). EAST WALL. Lucy [ne'e Pitt), 1st Countess Stanhope. James, 1st Earl Stanhope. Mary, Lady Pane (sister of 1 st Earl Stanhope). SOUTH WALL. AllanRamsay Philip, Viscount Mahon, ob. 1763, i, , Allan Ramsay Charles,3rd Earl Stanhope, ob, 1816> j K 2 132 CHEVENING HOUSE. PORTRAITS IN THE MORNING-ROOM. WEST. James, 1st Earl Stanhope (over fireplace). NOETH. Philip Henry, 4th Earl Stanhope (ob. 1855). EAST. Sir Wm. Stanhope, brother of the 1st Earl of Chesterfield. Sir Michael Stanhope, beheaded in 1551, with Protector Somerset. SOUTH. Philip, Viscount Mahon (ob. 1763). LOED CHATHAM'S RIDE. During the summer and autumn of 1769, the great Earl of Chatham resided for some months in this house, which was lent to him by Lord Stanhope. While here he planned a new road towards Hayes, through the Park, which road Lord Stanhope afterwards made. It is still called Lord Chatham's Ride. Some extracts from letters written during Lord Chatham's stay at Chevening, by Lord and Lady Chatham, and by Mr. J. Brampton (Lord Stanhope's steward), are interesting. July 25th, 1769. Lord Chatham to Lord Stanhope. "The place is in high beauty. . . . To retire from scenes without, to the noble feast of the mind within,—your Lordship's admirable library . . . . [my son Lord] Pitt was struck with admiration and some fear at the sight of so much learning; but I have relieved his apprehensions by assuring him that he may be the most learned gentleman in England, except Lord Stanhope, if he will read and remember the tenth of the books he sees there. . . . He has aptness enough towards mathematics, and likes them well; the exercise of the body also (amongst which cricket is not forgot) he is not bad at." September 25th, 1769. Lady Chatham to Lord Temple. "Hayes calls my Lord frequently thither, and I, with the young folks, visit the different parts of this charming country, see some of our neighbours, and now and then look at a cricket match. Saturday my Lord-Chancellor [Camden] dined with us." October 18th, 1769. Lord Chatham to lady Stanhope. " I carry my ambition to be remembered at Chevening so far, that I wish it may be said hereafter, if ever this plan for the road should go into execution, he, the overseer, who made this way, did not make the Peace of Paris." CHEVENING HOUSE. 133 July 2Brd, 1769. J. Brampton to Lady Stanhope, " Lord and Lady Chatm (sic) and all their family are greatly delighted with the house, garden, and every thing here. . . . The stables are not big enough to contain all their horses; I have therefore, by the desire of Lady Chatm, fitted them up one under the lodges in the cowyard, which serves well for the purpose . . . . it may be possible your Ladyship may like to have it continue as it is after Lord Chatham's family leaves us, as it is very convenient." September 6th, 1769. J. Brampton to Lady Stanhope. "Lord and Lady Chatm lies in your room; Lord Pitt in the Brown Room; the two young Ladies in the Yellow Mohair Room; their two youngest sons, Mr Willr a and Masr James, lies in the Nursery; all the other Rooms are made use of by the upper servants; two beds likewise was Brought from Hayes and put up, one in the Music Room, and the other in the Room above it; one for Mr Wilson, Lord Chat™ Chaplain, and the other for M. Jovancel, his late Secretary that was; the Yellow Satin Room bed is a spare one, I suppose, for company that come. Lady Lambard, Sir Jef. Amherst, and Mr and Mrs Herrings have been here on morning and afternoon visits. . . . M1' Colecroft (Calcraft) from Greenhive Dined here on Monday was sennight. . . . Lord Chatm . . . . is out on horseback most days if the weather is fine; today he is gone to Hayes; he often goes there. Tomorrow the whole family, I imagine, will go to Mereworth . . . . where I beheve they will stay the whole day and dine, as a cold loaf is preparing for them today." September 20th, 1769. J. Brampton to Lady Stanhope. . . . . " It was doubted some few days ago that Lord Chatm was going to have a fit of the gout, but it proved to be nothing hut his overtiring himself with playing at Billiards with the young gentlemen and ladies, which occasioned a little pain in his ancle. He takes a deal of exercise when the weather is fine, is out most days and sometimes twice a day on horseback, is greatly delighted with the new rides that are made for him in Chevening Park. " La Chatm seems very anxious about Mr Winter's Estate; if it should be again offered to sale, he would not advise my Lord to stick for a trifle of money in regard to the purchase."