HANGING STAIRCASE

Evening Star, Issue 25750, 25 March 1946, Page 6

HANGING STAIRCASE

LARNACH'S CASTLE UN9OUE

LATE GEORGIAN DESIGN Apparently without support, the staircase at Larnach's Castle, which is the subject of an advertisement elsewhere in this issue, has been taking the traffic of that popular showplace ever since its construction in 1871. Although this period was one in which staircase design generally reached its lowest ebb, the achievement of the man who built the castle installation after a late Georgian design was no minor one, and the adjective " famous " is by no means undeservedly used. Built without newels and_ laid out in complex curves, the staircase derives its strength from the perfection of its workmanship, whereby the careful framing of every part has made the finished work an independently rigid structure. From the curved plan itself comes a certain amount of lateral rigidity, and the structure is stayed to the walls; but its strength is in_ the beauty of its balance and the integration of careful work. IMPOSSIBLE TO DUPLICATE. The staircase is a M hanging " one of the open string type—that is to say, the strings at the end are cut to the shape of the steps, the ends of the risers forming an invisible joint. The lower stair, from the main hall to the first floor, is finished in walnut, with oak treads and risers and mahogany spindles. From the second hall to the top the stair is oak throughout, with mahogany spindles. The rail, curving gracefully without newels the full length of the staircase, is of kauri. It is believed that the structure could not be duplicated to-day, even though the materials . were available, which they are not. The name of the man who built it is not remembered. It is believed that he went to settle in the United States in the 'Bo's, shortly after the completion of the work. SWORD MAN'S STAIRWAY. Above this main stair is another unusual structure, a fighting stair. Copied from old Scottish castle installations, this stair curves the wrong way in a spiral, so that , a right-handed swordsman might have the advantage and be .able to hold the stair against all comers. Each step is a solid stone block, supported at one end and along its length on the one beneath, and at the other- by the wall of the tower, the stone being imV»dded sufficiently deep to prevent its burning. The staircase was only one feature of a building which, in the days of cheap costs, took more than £IOO,OOO to build. Externally and internally it is unique in architecture and structure, and though for long periods it has lain neglected, the excellence of the workmanship prevented its coming to harm. FIRST NAMED "THE CAMP."

Larnach's name for his residence, completed by the expenditure of so much work and money, was Ihe Camp," and despite the lmproportionate humour of the atppelation he had it set in mosaic on the floor of the entrance hall, together with his family motto, and the wild-cats of his family crest. Building the castle took five years and subsequently carvers were engaged in embellishing the work for periods up to 12 years, in one case. _ The castle, a name more recognisable than "The Camp," was sold some -years ago at one-eightieth or its original cost. It has been largely stripped ot past glories, but enough remains to captivate the interest and excite the imagination of its many visitors. Its present owner is Mr Or. Stedman.