Beddington Place (Great Hall Only)

Beddington Place (Great Hall only)

The Great Hall at Beddington Place dates from circa 1550, attributed by Fuller to Sir Nicholas Carew (died 1559), though some authorities have ascribed it to the Elizabethan period. It is a remarkably fine apartment, resembling in smaller scale the Great Hall at Hampton Court built in 1530-35. Sir Francis Carew entertained Queen Elizabeth here for three days in 1599.

The interior measures 60 feet 8 inches by 52 feet 4 inches and is covered by an early 16th-century arch-braced hammer-beam roof of four bays, with similar trusses in the end walls. The walls display two notable features: a trophy of Elizabethan arms and military engines in stone or plaster painted to resemble bronze, and at the opposite end a coloured achievement of arms in similar relief depicting Sir Nicholas Carew (died 1727) with the arms of his wife Elizabeth Hackett in pretence. The walls are lined with stained 19th-century panelling with crenellated top rails, which according to the Victoria County History covers an old fireplace. The floor consists of white stone paving with black marble squares placed diagonally at the corners, dating from approximately 1709-10 when alterations were made to the house. This has now been covered by modern parquet floors.

The room to the south on each floor is constructed within the walls of the Tudor house. Half of one-light stone window surround and its adjacent walling are said to be visible on opening a cupboard on the first floor. Some of the roofing over this area is also original, though of limited interest. An early 18th-century bolection-moulded marble fireplace surround exists in the south-west ground floor room. Formerly this room contained a wall tablet by H Weekes, ARA, to the Duke of Cambridge, commissioned in 1850 by the Orphanage in his memory and transferred from their earlier premises. It bore a profile bust portrait of the Duke and two profile full-length portraits of girl orphans in uniform.

The 19th-century casing to the Great Hall is in Gothic style, constructed in red brick with stone dressings and tile roofs. The main part of the east elevation comprises two storeys of six bays, each bay separated by a buttress, with a crenellated parapet. Tall two-light Gothic windows occupy the upper storey; below are two-light windows in rectangular frames. At either end is a gabled projection of two storeys with two window bays. The casing to the west front is in similar style but features a lean-to loggia against the ground floor of the hall with two-light square-headed glazed openings. Five window bays run across the front with a tall brick tower to the centre bay, containing two tall windows above the first floor. A moulded band with gargoyles runs across, with gables over each face. A clock is set in the west face and a bell-cote crowns the structure.