Ham House

Built in 1610 Ham House belongs together with its gardens to the magnificent sights of the London Borough London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The interior of the red brick building on the left bank of the Thames renowned as a unique example from the era of the Stuart restoration. Today's owner is the National Trust.

History of Architecture and Interior

On William Murray, whipping boy of the later King Charles I, who rebuilt the interior 1637-1639, go to the Grand Staircase and the suite of rooms on the first floor, the Great dining room, living room on the north side and the long gallery back with the final images Cabinet. In the 1670's the building was expanded by the Duke of Lauderdale, and the interiors have been completely renovated. Large parts of the interior, which includes inlays, carvings and leather wall coverings, date from this time. Many of the furnishings have been specially made and some of them are already listed in the contemporary inventory lists.

On the ground floor of the building are the private rooms including the bedrooms, which is nowadays perceived as quite unusual. The walls are usually paneled or covered with leather wallpaper. The Grand Staircase with its structured, once gilded panels and their elaborately carved balustrade leads to the stately rooms on the first floor. The limited size of these premises is in contrast to its facilities, which includes ceiling paintings, parquet floors, marble fireplaces, tapestries and wall hangings of damask or silk.

Garden

The English author, architect and horticulturist John Evelyn wrote after a visit to the house and the gardens of the Duke of Lauderdale, "It comes close to the most beautiful villas of Italy. The house, furnished like a prince, is surrounded by flowerbeds, flower gardens, orangeries, groves, avenues, courtyards, statues, perspectives, fountains and aviaries, and all this on the banks of the enchanting river in the world. "When the National Trust ownership In 1948, there were the gardens described by Evelyn no longer. From 1976 on, however, it was restored according to old plans in the style of the 17th century, so that the house and gardens again form a harmonious unit today.

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