Detail of the fireplace in the North West State bedroom Digital image of C/34724/cn

Description Detail of the fireplace in the North West State bedroom Digital image of C/34724/cn

Date 27/4/1994

Catalogue Number SC 759626

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 34724 CN

Scope and Content Chimneypiece in north-west state bedroom, Newhailes, Musselburgh, East Lothian This shows the marble chimneypiece, probably from Henry Cheere's workshop, with a bell-pull (lever) just above the dado rail to the right. The bell-pull was connected by wires to a bell in the basement. If this bell-pull was rung, a bell in the basement would move and sound showing that a servant was needed in this room. The bell system was connected to many of the rooms and was introduced during Lord Shand's tenancy. Country houses could easily be fitted with a wire and lever bell-pull system by the end of the 18th century. Electric servant bell systems were developed in the late 19th century and were a vast improvement on the old system which was liable to become clogged with dust. Henry Cheere (1703-81) established his own sculptor's yard in London at the age of 23 and his company carved marble chimneypieces and statues. James Smith (c.1645-1731) architect, designed and built Newhailes House (originally known as Whitehill) in 1686. Sir David Dalrymple (c.1665-1721) bought the estate in 1709 and started the construction of the library wing in 1718 which was completed after his death in 1721 by his son, Sir James Dalrymple (1692-1751). The house was modernised in 1871-3 when Lord Shand was tenant, and has remained largely unchanged since. The National Trust for Scotland became the owners of Newhailes House in January 1997. The house opened to the public on 1 June 2002 after a £12.7 million conservation project that ensured the house was stabilised without losing the patination of the interior decoration. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/759626

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap