WEDDINGTON CASTLE - An Online History

ROBERT LUGAR: Preface

THE flattering reception which my former Publications on Cottages and Villas, and on Farm Buildings, met with, has encouraged me to venture again before the Public which has already been so indulgent to me.

Though the Plans and Elevations, which compose my present work, are principally Original Designs, yet some of them are only alterations and enlargements of old houses; all of which have been completed, or are now completing, under my direction, in various parts of the kingdom.

The Landscape embellishment is each respective Set of Plates is intended, and will be found to be a fair representation of the Character and Scenery appertaining to each dwelling; for it has not been my wish to produce a work merely pleasing to the eye, but to give the portrait of each place according to its features, and to shew the likeness without exaggeration; anticipating only, in some instances, the luxuriousness of those Plantations which have been already made, and which, in a reasonable course of time, will rise into full growth; and which have been introduced in order to show the full intention of the design originally contemplated. I must here take the liberty to mention the difficulty, or rather the impossibility, of my displaying, through the medium of an Engraving, the propriety of my having placed each Mansion on the particular spot whereupon it has been erected or to give the reader a just contemplation of the motives which induced me to prefer the different styles of Building that have been adopted. To have accomplished this, the nature of the ground, and the whole character of the country, must have been brought at once before his view. I must, therefore, under these disadvantages, be allowed credit for the selection of that style of Architecture which has been carried into execution under due consideration, and brought into practice - not from fancy - but from principle.

Here it may be proper to remark, that, in fixing on a Site for a house, the first object of the Architect should be, - convenience of access, a sufficiency of good water, and protection from winds and the next in importance, - benefit of aspect, and the advantage of pleasing prospects.

In examining this performance, the principle intention of which is to direct the eye to the Architecture, the leading subject of the work, the given views, it should be recollected, will be naturally partial, embracing only a limited part of the prospect: because the spectator sees only the spot on which the house is built, with such scenery as presents itself before him; but does not see those prospects in the quarter behind him, whence he may be supposed to be contemplating the Mansion; and, sometimes, when the prospects are most interesting in that quarter, the reader will be left wholly uninformed of that, which an Architect would have wished him to have been fully in possession of. This deficiency I must, therefore, endeavour to supply, through the medium of an elucidatory description prefixed to each building.

It is the Architect's duty, previously to preparing his foundation, to examine, with scrupulous attention, the situation where he proposes to erect the edifice; not only as far as regards those indispensable principles already mentioned, but to fix on a spot capable of further improvements by the advantages of additional plantations, and the cheerful as well as useful accompaniment of animating water; thereby making the immediate domain, as well as the distant views, at one and the same time attractive objects to the inhabitants of the Mansion. For this purpose, it is frequently advisable, with respect to prospect, to make the choice of a site near which trees already grow, or to plant them if they be wanting: by which means the views from the windows, if too extensive, may be broken, and so divided, as to afford new interest from different windows even in the same room: for too great an extent of country before the eye produces a tiresome monotony, which can only be obviated by the judicious management of the embellishments in the fore-ground; - brining the hand of art to assist nature.

The following designs, however suitable in character, and applicable to their several situations they seem to me, or however highly approved of by the owners, as comfortable to their wants and wishes, would discover but little merit, as a general principle, if the interior arrangements did not present adequate domestic comforts. It should be the Architect's invariable study, to give to each apartment the most convenient access, yet preserving that privacy which some apartments require, but still maintaining a proper distance from those apartments which are appropriated for the servants and domestic uses.

The principal, or social apartments, if the expression may be allowed, should be planned conformably to size of each house; not too large in those which are on a small scale, nor any way contracted in those which are of a considerable extent: and particular attention should be give to the situation of doors, as well as to the opening of them, and to the placing of chimnies, since the comfort of every room very materially depends upon their being judiciously arranged. On examining the plans it will, I hope, be observed, that due consideration has been given to these essential circumstances.

Generally speaking, it is a matter of considerable consequence that the Architect should pay strict attention to the purse, as well as to the wishes of his employer, in planning the building.

Hitherto it has been my good fortune to meet with persons possessing minds too liberal and too sensible to be offended at a respectful inquiry, - What sum could be conveniently spared to carry their intentions into effect? when the inquiry had for its sole object the best interest of my employers; and I hope it will not savour too much of self-praise in me to say, that I have at all times endeavoured not only not to encourage any waste of money by allowing gentlemen to over-build, and by that means incurring an endless expense in supporting a large establishment to preserve everything in suitable order; but to confine the cost and quantity of building within the limits proposed; maturely considering, in the first instance, what sum would be absolutely necessary to be laid out, to give the required advantages, and at the least charge; and not lead them to erect spacious buildings, to gratify my own vanity, in the display of fancied taste and ability, and thereby draw public attention to my works by improper means. Yet, where space or ornament was required, I never lost sight of their effect and real necessity: for a parsimonious expenditure, that would lead to inconvenience, and produce the deformity of nakedness, would be a lasting reproach to the Architect, as well as a continued source of mortification to those, who should be doomed to live in the building destitute of proper accommodations; and uninteresting, from the want or deficiency, of appropriate embellishments.

The preceding brief observations in allusion to this Work, and the indispensable duties of an Architect, will not, I hope, be deemed irrelevant. I shall not hasten to make a few remarks on the different styles of building which may engage an architect's attention, as appropriate to particular situations and circumstances; justifying, by those remarks, the exemplification that will appear in this work, opposing the view of Tillicheun, and its grand scenery, to the mild beauties that surround the Ryes Lodge,

In a well-wooded country, abounding with grand and romantic scenery, a house in the castle style is peculiarly suitable, as well as in character with an extensive domain. But, where the exterior character should be strength, the interior may possess all the cheerfulness, elegance, and comfort, which the usage of modern times require; the finishing, therefore, of the interior may be made comfortable to the taste of the proprietor, and according to modern fashion: ornaments of the ancient or Gothic style may, nevertheless, be peculiarly suitable to the principal apartments of such a house as that constructed at Tillicheun, where the dining-room, hall, staircase, and state bed-room, are finished after the Gothic style, and give considerable interest to the building. To have adopted that style of finishing at the Ryes Lodge, would have been inconsistent in the extreme.

A Mansion in the castellated style, it should be recollected, affords many opportunities of obtaining a number of rooms, which are essential to modern habits. At the same time the bold and varied projection, in conjunction with the broken line of the elevation, produce a pleasing irregularity, and a play of light and shadow highly conducive to the picturesque. To a mansion of this style, also, the offices of all kinds may be brought into view: by which arrangement extent and grandeur will be produced without incurring any extra charge. Of this an example if shown in the first view of Tillicheun, where the stable-offices increase the general importance by extending the line of the building with effect, thereby connecting the mansion more advantageously with the ground, and making the whole form rise into greater consequence. In houses of the regular, or Grecian cast, a chaste and simple character is alone suitable, and should be effected more by forms than ornaments. External ornaments, besides being costly, can only be seen to advantage when close to the building,; whereas forms, breaks, and projections, produce light and shadow at a distance, and give an agreeable variety to the whole.

To buildings of the cottage class, or cottage ornee, I mean those on a more extensive plan than the habitation of the labourer, or dwelling suitable to a small farm; (such as have been constructed for the residence of a gentleman's family,) considerable indulgence should be allowed; and the fastidious should be disarmed of the severity of criticism, when the picturesque and the useful are conveniently and pleasingly united. The windows brought down nearly level with the ground, (a striking improvement in modern architecture,) give access, as well as occasional cheerfulness, to the sitting-rooms. A veranda also, which is another recent improvement, affords protection to the dwelling, from the beating rain and the sun's too powerful influence, while, at the same time, a seeming increase of dimension is created, that is extremely satisfactory to the sight. Of all these circumstances I have taken advantage.

The lodges and minor buildings introduced in this work, I shall leave to speak for themselves. It has been my endeavour to render them correspondent to their situations, and suitable to the uses to which they are to be appropriated.

To sum up the whole, I hope it will appear that my professional exertions have produced plans possessing utility; for my ambition has been to insure comfort, as the sound basis on which the whole superstructure was to be formed, rather than to display expensive and decorative architecture; to unite convenience with beauty; the interior distribution to advantage, connected with a simple and characteristic exterior.

If the public shall, fortunately for me, judge as favourably of these designs as those noblemen and gentlemen for whom they have been executed, I shall rest satisfied that my time in bringing them forward in this shape has not been misapplied, and that my exertions have not been useless.

From : Plans and Views of Buildings Executed in England and Scotland, in The Castellated and Other Styles.

By R. Lugar, Architect.
Elegantly engraved on thirty-two plates.
London J. Taylor, No, 59 High Holborn. 1811.