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Petworth House
The Marble Hall
Built as the main entrance to the House for the 6th Duke. Work was largely
completed in 1692, when 'John Burton' was paid for 'the greate doors that
is in front of the house giveing into the hall of State'. In the same year
'James Sayers', mason, indented for 'paving the Hall of State with black
and white 'marble', which was brought from Purbeck.
The pattern was taken (and elaborated) from 'C.A. d`Aviler's Cour complet
d`architecture' (1691), one of the most popular of 17th century patter-books.
The carver 'John Selden' was responsible for the robustly three-dimensional
decorative woodwork, including the Somerset coat of arms above the chimneypieces,
flanked by the ducal supporters: a bull and a unicorn. The panelling was put
up by 'Thomas Larkin'.
The brass lock-plates here and elsewhere are also chased with the Duke's
arms and were made by the locksmith 'John Draper'.
The Hall has seen little change since the 6th Duke's time and is full of
French and Dutch reminiscences: the marble skirtings are a particularly Dutch
feature. The full-blown Baroque style is rare in England, and the room as
a whole derives from the grandeur of the palatial interiors commissioned by
Louis XIV.
The 1st Lord Leconfield made the room into a comfortable study after his wife's
death in 1863, having been asked by the housekeeper, Mrs. Smith, to move temporarily
to the south end during spring-cleaning. He never moved back, and the rooms
between the Marble Hall and the south front became his private sanctum where
he also slept.
In the early 1870s Salvin built a new entrance hall on the east side for
the 2nd Lord Leconfield, to provide a more sheltered and private access facing
the town. Lord and Lady Leconfield were responsible for the present
pale green applied 'c.1869-72'; the original colour was a stony white.
Furniture:
Pair of black and gold tables with marble tops
Probably Florentine, c.1690, listed here in 1749/50: '2 Marble Tables on black & gilt frames'.
They are from a group of five similar tables, of which three have five legs,
the central leg providing extra support to the heavy marble top, but also
perhaps to allow for the display of marble busts. The black
and gold decoration has been renewed, probably in the 19th century.
Four painted stools
English, c.1760, and may be from a set of eight described here in 1764; 'Eight Hall Stools with Coat of Arms painted
on the seat'. If so, they have been repainted, probably when the present décor was applied by the 2nd Lord Leconfield.
Inlaid mahogany organ
Made in 1784 or 1786 by 'John England' (active 1764-90) and installed by the 3rd Earl in 1786. Its mechanism
was removed in 1914.
Principal Sculpture:
In the round-headed niches, these are
probably the '2 Marble Statues' listed here in 1749/50, which suggests
that they were acquired by the Proud Duke, who incorporated the niches
in his original construction of the Marble Hall and who is known to
have bought several pieces of antique sculpture.
To the left and right of the Hall is a sculpture of Italian marble, dating
from the second century AD, possibly depicts the Procurator of an eastern
province of the Roman Empire (the dress is Asiatic). The other of Parian marble,
is a Roman portrait statue, whose torso is first century AD with a replacement
head of the third century (it was common to update statues by replacing their
heads). Both statues incorporate later restorations.
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