Chesterfield House.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 4

Chesterfield House.

(By HORACE WYXDHAAL)

Princess Mary's London Home.

Tin- happy fact that it is now tbc London home of Princess Mary has naturally brought Chesterfield House into special prominence. Yel, until Lord Lascelles was enabled 1« purchase it with the millions unexpectedly inherited from the eccentric Marquis of Clsnricarde, this stalely niMDi-nm in the heart of Maylair was scarcely known to the public, bince its doors had been closed for years past. Stili, they were reopened when the Crown Prince of Japan iras accommodated there during his recent visit 1d London. Chesterfield House we* originally built for Philip, fourth Karl of Chesterfield, author of the famous "Letters." The architect was Isaac Ware; and the land talonged to that Viscount Howe, v hose descendant* married into the Curzuu family and gave their name to Curzon street.. The. «jnbtraclion was eomtnenoed in 1747. At that period, however, the British workman was even more leisurely in his methods than he it to-day; and it was not until 17.12 that the mansion was really completed. But Lord Chesterfield did not wait so long to oraiupy it. In fact, when he first installed himself tberc, he wrote: "I have as yet finished nothing beyond my boudoir and my library. The former is the gayest and the most cheerful room in England, tie Utter is the best." These two rooms certainly had a great deal of money and care spent on them. Thus, the boudoir was decorated in blue da.ma.sk and gold, and half Europe ransacked for choice furniture, a specially magnificent mantelpiece being brought from Italy. The library, too. wa* (and is) a very fine apartment. "The walls," says a privileged visitor, ''are coverei half-way up with rich and classical stores of literature; above the cases are in close series tbe porteuti of eminent authors ... on the mantelpieoeß ana cabinets stand busts of old orators, interepemaA with vases and bronzes." Its Housewaraunc. Horace Walpolc, describing the first "houw wanning" early in 17A2, writes to a friend: "The* wa.s a fortnight ago an immense assembly at my Lord Chesterfield's., made to show off tic house, which is really most magnificent. Duke Hamiltoe made violent lo»c at one end of the room, while Iβ was playing faro at the other." In its original form, Chesterfield House presented a very different appearance from that of to-day. A conspicuous feature of tbe early plae consisted of two detached wings, joined to 13» main building by connecting colonnades. Thtem were demolished 60 years ago, and the large garde* at the back was built over about ibe satne tuna. This garden was among the bust in London belonging to any private residence. One of the chief glories of Chesterfield Howe is tbe double staircase leading to tbe first Boor, lie is of marble, and originally <atrue from Canons, near Kdgwarc, the country *eat of the Duke of Chandos, which was pulled down in 3 744 and the conteni* palup to auction. As tbe trdlised sterol! work, already. had the letter "C (for Chandos I on it at each stop. the new owner found no necessity to alter it. Ai be U (said, despite hie vast wealth, to have been t& an economical turn of mind, tbis circumstanot greatly pleased him. Another relic oi pa.sl splendoiM still preserved in a gilt candelabra, iiuichascd frffl* Sir Robert Walpole. Or. Johnson Tegend. There is a tradition that l>r. Johnson, when calling at Chesterfield House to wJini patronage for hie dictionary, was rudely reptalwd by the nervftote, while Colley Cibber, who had caJlod at the same time, wa* admitted. In support of ibn legend,** upper floor room js still known a- -])r. ,lohnHt«i'« Room." E. M. Ward, H..A-. also j-ainUid a picture of the scene. "Dr. Johoson in the aute-ryum at Lord Cheßterfield"?,"' which wa.s exbibiU-d at the Eojal Academy. The tradition, however, it unfounded,«» is proved by the inoontro\erti}.k n id<-ncc of dates. Thus, writing to the Earl in 17.V». .Ichn-on remarks: "Seven years have now passed mtict 1 w ailed at yonr outward rooms and was repuWd irom your doot." As this would he in 174«. and thue 1..1.'.re Chester* field House was fK-c.upk-d, \h<- wuld nt* possibly have occurred tberc. ]J ( .!-v 4( ]] aleo bUj>porti ibis contention. In IMS Cljest<'i-Jie]d H-msc «« w«d to *bf Marquis of Abercom at ili<- irj<..]< rai. •■ ni «>1 £3«* n*r annum. Twenty years 1«i«t n u«- sold Iβ MrCharles ilagniac, « well-known an ,-..,. At first he was a«m*djt«d with tin inicntiou demolishing it. Happily, tbis a<-t •■; . »i.<liilihro «■» axerled. although tbe ui lv » a , l( j ~..1..,,imd«* «'«* pulled down and tbe original build i> . i u<4 reduced in siw. Mr. .Magnia<- eventu«lh - tbe pmjerty to Lord Burt<»n. It was afn-r'Hi ■ hai ii ii&s* 8 * inU. the possession of ViwouM !... wt-Jlee, *» husband of Princess Mary. With a millionaire f«r ni- ou ■~-. « t .d a King l, fair ft.r ils <;hai<-lain. .( h. ".-Id HoO» is reviving n t ancienl glories and <>uag to& history'. "