THE WONDERFUL BALLROOM AT WELBECK ABBEY.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 49, 27 July 1908, Page 2

THE WONDERFUL BALLROOM AT WELBECK ABBEY.

ONE OF THE FREAKS OF THE LATE DUKE OF PORTLAND.

To describe in the briefest manner the whole history of Welbeck Abbey, where the Duke of Portland has been entertaining the King and Queen of Spain would occupy many columns. The abbey, dates back as far as the twelfth century, although the most interesting period of its history is undoubtedly that which concerns the doings of the eccentric fifth Duke of Portland, the predecessor of the present Duke, who, actuated by a desire to hide himself from the observation of the outside world, spent something like £3,000,000 in the construction of subterranean passages and apartments. For eighteen years the abbey was in the hands of builders, and during that time about 1,500 workpeople of all classes were constantly employed in carrying out the Duke’s instructions.

The result has been that the abbey now boasts of many unique features, the most remarkable of which, perhaps are the underground ridingschool—in which Mr. Chamberlain addressed over 10,000 people on Tariff Reform three years ago, and which is 400 ft. long 106 ft. wide and 50ft. high—and the great subterranean picture-gallery and ballroom—a. noble apartment 158 ft. long, 63ft. wide, and 21ft. in height. Both these huge apartments, which have been excavated out of clay, are connected with the abbey by a series of tunnels or corridors, and in the case of the ballroom a powerful electric fan circulates the air, which is heated by coming through a hotwater system, thus maintaining an even temperature. The walls of this unique ballroom are hung with paintings by famous artists, for the fifth Duke in addition to being a clover architect—the subterranean buildings were all after his own designs—was a connoisseur in the matter of pictures, and about 1870 made, a Huge bonfire of a lot of paintings worth thousands of pounds because he did not deem them good enough for his collection.

Altogether there ‘arc about fifteen miles of tunnelling round Welbeck Abbey, and no one can approach the house without traversing some of it. The subterranean passages are constructed upon the most admirable principles. They are lighted by natural light wherever possible, are well ventilated, and decorated with choice works of art. In order to take away the monotonous effect of these underground passages, the Duke built, in some cases, glass corridors running parallel, statues awl pictures being placed in speciallyconstructed niches.

Large subterranean libraries and a tan gallop a quarter of a mile long, entirely covered in with 64,000 square feet of glass, are amongst other features which the fifth Duke introduced at Welbeck Abbey, The Duke maintained a stable of fifty hunters, bred from the best stock, and it was in order that these might be exercised in the damp weather that he caused the gallop to be built.