Belton House

Belton House is a country house built between 1685 and 1688, designed by William Winde and constructed by William Stanton, Master Mason, for Sir John Brownlow. The house has been significantly altered and developed over subsequent centuries: James Wyatt made alterations in 1777 for Sir Brownlow Cust; Jeffry Wyatville carried out internal alterations around 1816 for the first Earl Brownlow; and further alterations and reinstatement of earlier work took place between approximately 1870 and 1900, possibly by J H Pollen, for the third Earl Brownlow. The house became a National Trust property in 1983.

The building is constructed in limestone ashlar from Ancaster and Ketton quarries, supplemented by stone from the earlier manor house. The roofs are hipped in Westmorland slate, rising to a lead flat bounded by a balustrade (renewed in fibreglass around 1986) and topped with an octagonal lead domed wooden cupola supported by volutes, which was renewed in the late 19th century. Eight panelled and coped ashlar chimney stacks rise from the main roof.

The house is a double pile, H-plan structure of two storeys plus basement and attics, with fenestration of 11 by 10 windows. It features a plinth, quoins, a first floor band, and a modillion eaves cornice. The windows are predominantly glazing bar sashes: 18-pane on the first floor and 15-pane on the ground floor, with moulded surrounds and cornices. Dormers, restored in the late 19th century, contain 9-pane sashes and triangular or segmental pediments.

The southern entrance front presents a projecting pedimented centre with three windows, flanked by projecting hipped end bays each with two windows. The larger central window has an enlarged surround and cornice, with a cartouche in the pediment above. The central doorcase, designed by Wyatt, features columns and entablature with cross-framed glazed double doors. Outside steps with a turned balustrade are flanked by balustrade screen walls. The side and end bays have two windows on each floor, while the return angles have two blank spaces on each floor. Six dormers are distributed across this front.

The garden front to the north is nearly identical to the entrance front, featuring a cartouche and swags in the pediment, flanked by oval windows. A panelled doorcase with a segmental pediment on brackets stands here, the door itself replaced by a 15-pane sash. Similar steps without screen walls lead to this entrance. The return angles contain three windows on each floor.

The courtyard front to the west has a centre defined by quoins containing four windows and four dormers. A square near-central porch, added in the late 19th century, features panelled sides, square Doric pilasters, and glazed double doors beneath a dentillated cornice. Above the porch, a solid balustrade displays the Royal arms in a panel. On either side of the porch are four windows. The north-west service wing abuts the left end, replacing an original window.

The east front follows the same design with regular fenestration.

The interior retains the major elements of the original plan, comprising a large central hall on the south side flanked by smaller reception rooms that lead to passages on the east and west wings, with large rooms in each corner pavilion and secondary staircases. This arrangement is repeated on the north side and on both floors.

The Marble Hall (entrance hall) contains panelling from around 1722 and two marble fireplaces with naturalistic wooden pendants above, all from the late 17th century. The carving is attributed to Edmund Carpenter and possibly to Gibbons. The Tapestry Room to the west was remodelled around 1890 in 17th-century style. The Staircase Hall to the east has a coved ceiling with plasterwork by Edward Goudge and an open well oak staircase with turned balusters, which was renewed in 1823 by Wyatville. The Saloon on the north side features pedimented doorcases and prolific woodcarving by Carpenter, with a ceiling added in 1892 by Jackson & Sons of London in the style of Goudge. The Red Drawing Room to the west, designed by Wyatville, contains moulded wall panels and cornice, a running dog frieze, and a marble fireplace. The Tyrconnel Room to the east, originally a state bedroom, has an unusual painted floor from the late 19th century and overmantel carving possibly by Carpenter.

The west wing contains a central entrance hall with a dogleg stair. To the north lies a former ante-library of 1809 by Wyatville, rearranged as a breakfast room in 1877, and beyond it the former library of 1809 by Wyatville, rearranged as a state dining room in 1877 and hung with large paintings by Hondecoter. The east wing features a central open well staircase with turned balusters, a 19th-century crane and winch, and a Chapel Drawing Room with restored marbled decoration from 1772 and two late 18th-century tapestries by Vanderbank. Adjoining the drawing room is a two-storey chapel with an outstanding ceiling by Edward Goudge, a triple arched gallery with elaborate woodcarving, and an organ by William Hill in a case of 1826 designed by Wyatville. Chapel fittings include a marbled wooden reredos with double columns and segmental pediment, and box pews.

On the first floor, a central library on the south side was remodelled as a drawing room in 1778 by James Wyatt and rearranged as a library in 1877. It has a segmental vaulted ceiling by Wyatt, bookcases by Wyatville, and a marble fireplace with caryatids by Westmacott. The Boudoir to the west, designed by Wyatt in 1776, has a similar ceiling and a marble fireplace probably by William Tyler. On the north side, the Queen's Bedroom contains unpainted wooden panelling and an enriched marble fireplace with a frieze panel possibly by Edmund Carpenter. An adjoining ante-library to the west, originally a dressing room, has marbled decoration from 1884. The Chinese Bedroom to the east features joinery painted to imitate bamboo and 18th-century Chinese wallpaper.

The principal rafter roof has been much modified and features joggled purlins. The basement contains a butler's pantry, housekeeper's room, plate room, cellars, and other service rooms with specialised fittings.

Early 19th-century alterations were made by Wyatville, and late 19th-century alterations by G Jackson & Sons of London.

Belton House is perhaps the finest surviving example of a country house derived from the work of Roger Pratt, and contains important examples of work by Goudge and Carpenter, as well as the designs of Wyatt and Wyatville.