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| Hatfield House |
Note: Cheryl is writing a series on the ten
Treasure Houses of England, which have been selected for their grandeur,
architecture, furnishings, landscape, and historical significance. See the
website at http://treasurehouses.co.uk/
© Cheryl
Bolen
HISTORY
Queen Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood at Hatfield Palace,
which had been home to the Bishops of Ely since the Middle Ages. It was here that she learned she was the new
queen, following the death of her half-sister Queen Mary. All that remains of the 1480 palace is a
red-brick hall where banquets are still held.
Beginning in 1607, Robert Cecil, the 1st Earl of Salisbury and
younger son of Queen Elizabeth’s chief minister William Cecil (Lord Burghley),
began constructing the present Jacobean mansion, using many of the red bricks
from the demolition of Hatfield Palace. Robert Cecil had succeeded his father as
a minister to Queen Elizabeth I, and after her death he served as chief
minister to James I. It was from James I that Robert Cecil obtained Hatfield
Palace.
The king, much taken with Cecil’s Theobalds in Hertfordshire (now
gone), offered to exchange Hatfield for Theobalds. Hatfield’s new construction
took five years to complete and cost £11,000. Robert Cecil died in 1612, just
after the completion of Hatfield House. He is buried at the old parish church
adjacent to the property.
In the reign of George III, James Cecil (1748-1823) was created
the 1st Marquess of Salisbury. The 3rd Marquess (1830-1903), served three times
as Prime Minister to Queen Victoria. As
chairman of the Great Eastern Railway, he was instrumental in getting the
Hatfield Rail Station located just beyond the gates of his family home. Lord
David Cecil (1902-1986), a noted scholar, historian, and author, grew up at
Hatfield House. The house is still owned and occupied by the present Marquess
of Salisbury and is one of the 10 Treasure Houses of England.
HOUSE
With the advent of the railway, Hatfield’s entrance was reoriented
to the north, where visitors now enter. The original south entrance was
designed by Inigo Jones, who received £10 for his drawing. The original
entrance is much more impressive with its long loggia flanked by ogee-topped
double towers and a clock tower at the center.
Hatfield House, comprised of 223 rooms, is considered the finest
and best known Jacobean house in England. The marble hall on the ground floor,
so named for its checkered floor of white and black marble, has retained its
Jacobean appearance. Original, intricately carved wooden screens stand at
either end of the chamber. The hall features a minstrels’ gallery and huge
Belgian tapestries. World leaders today still gather around the long table that
can seat 70.
A climb up the grand Jacobean staircase (with original wooden dog
gates) brings visitors to the first floor and the James I drawing room adorned
with rich, deep greens and reds. Despite its large size, the room looks cozy
with its intimately gathered conversation areas. A life-size statue of James I
is incorporated into the overmantel. Walls are sheathed in tapestries which
serve as a backdrop to a collection of priceless paintings, including those of Elizabeth
I and of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury and others painted by Reynolds and
Lawrence. A trio of tall bayed windows floods the room with light.
A 180-feet long gallery connects the James I drawing room on the
east wall with the library on the western wall. The library is among the finest
in England. A large fireplace is center point to the symmetrical room. Its
north and south walls feature galleries that are balustraded in gilded iron and
are accessible by handsome wood steps. The library houses many rare
manuscripts, including letters from Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.
The winter dining room was constructed in the early 19th century
from two smaller rooms. Far more intimate than the hall, this dining room seats
14.
Original to the home, the marble-floored chapel was remodeled in
Victorian times but still retains the early 17th century stained glass windows
depicting Biblical scenes.
A tour of the house (guided on weekdays) includes the long,
ground-floor gallery/loggia that is used as an armory and the massive original
kitchen, which has been restored to look as it did in 1832.
GROUNDS
The 14-minute walk from the rail station is mostly through alleys
of trees and alongside the broad lawn leading up to the present entrance. The
1,000-acre park offers vineyards, parterre gardens, a wilderness garden, a
children’s play area, picnic sites, the 16-acre Broadwater, and park walks.
Closest to the house is the West Parterre Garden, designed in
Victorian times by the 3rd Marquess’s younger daughter, Gwendolen Cecil, and
still meticulously maintained. It is
bordered by verdant arbors, and perfectly sculpted shrubs guard the entry
points. The Scented Garden (another parterre) lies beyond the West Parterre,
and the knot garden backs up to the Old Palace. Another well-maintained formal
garden faces the original south front of Hatfield House. Though it is not open to the public, it can
be photographed from a viewing bay.
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| Hatfield's Knot Garden adjacent to the Old Palace |
Visitors can pick up a free leaflet from the gift shop or the
garden kiosk that will give them a map of three separate walks through the
grounds. The walks are 1, 2, or 3.2 miles.
Some oak trees in the park have been dated to over 700 years old. The original oak where Queen Elizabeth I
learned of her accession to the throne is now gone, but in 1985 Queen Elizabeth
II planted another at what is believed to be the original site. A children’s
play area is located north of the Elephant Dell picnic site. For those not
bringing lunches, a restaurant is available in the old stable yard northeast of
Hatfield House. (No picnickers allowed here.)
One of the loveliest features on the grounds is Broadwater, formed
by a dam in the River Lee. The castle folly dates to 1780, but the wall around
the secret garden was built much earlier, in 1633.--Cheryl Bolen's newest release is a Regency Romance titled Miss
Hastings' Excellent London Adventure. See book list, excerpts, and articles on
Regency England at http://www.cherylbolen.com/
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