Other Rooms
The
Ladies Withdrawing Room
The furniture and pictures here are largely English and 18th century. The painted open armchairs are worth particular attention and the room is hung with family portraits.
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The Ladies
Withdrawing Room |
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The beautiful Ladies Withdrawing
Room with it's 18th Century furniture and pictures. |
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Note the pastel drawings of the two wives of the second Thomas Duncombe. His first wife, Diana, daughter of the Fourth Earl of Carlisle, is shown holding a harp. Their daughter, Anne, married Robert Shafto, MP for Durham and otherwise known as Bonnie Bobby Shafto who went away to sea with silver buckles on his knee. When he came back from sea he married Anne Duncombe and spent her fortune. He is thus not regarded here with quite the same romantic glow as he appears to inspire elsewhere, and perhaps. the countless lovely young ladies whom he jilted on his return from his travels enjoyed a lucky escape. The other pastel lady is Thomas Duncombe's second wife, Anne Clarke, and the pastel child their daughter, Frances, mother of the First Lord Strathnairn. The peculiar door in the corner leads on to the China Cabinet.
The
Library
The walls above the
book cases are covered with a 19th century wallpaper simulating
leather. The portrait over the fireplace is of Sir Charles
Duncombe, the great Restoration banker and purchaser of the
Helmsley Estate.
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The fascinating library with
a good selection of unusual books. |
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The shelves contain
many interesting and unusual volumes including such personal
favourites as The Unexpurgated.
Case Against Woman Suffrage by Sir Almroth E. Wright
and Dangers to Health or Sanitary Defects by J.
Pridgin Teale (also one of the late W. H. Auden's favourite
books). After leaving the library, visitors may take the
stairs to the second floor to view some bedrooms. The large,
17th century Dutch landscape hanging in the stairwell is
by Jan Both. |
