Restoring Burton Constable’s Ballroom
This great room that hosted glittering balls at Burton Constable in the 19th and early 20th Centuries knew hard times in more recent years as money to maintain this staggering space ran short.
William Constable’s Great Drawing Room
William Constable dithered rather when it came to the creation of Burton Constable’s Great Drawing Room. In 1775 William married Catherine Langdale, who presumably took William’s indecision in hand and requested the room now finally created – a Great Drawing Room commissioned from James Wyatt.
Although Wyatt did some work on the Great Hall, his notorious unreliability soon led William to employ the firm of Chippendale to complete the work. Chippendale’s supplied the completed mirrors, a pair of pier tables, a large suite of furniture and a pair of window pelmets. Their bill alone came to £1,100, the equivalent of £86,000 today.
Victorian Vivacity
After the Clifford Constable’s moved here from Tixall, they clearly decided that the Great Drawing Room was badly in need of a breath of fresh air. In 1840 they commissioned painters to pick out details of wood and plasterwork in strong colours, and covered the walls in bright yellow silk. Finally, four enormous portraits were moved into the room from the family’s house in Cumberland Place, London.
At last, the family had a grand, airy space in which to indulge in their favourite pastime – entertaining. Musical nights, card evenings and parties were hosted for visitors from across the country in accordance with the family’s love of art, dance, music and singing.
Conserving the Past
This room was in a particularly poor state. The yellow silk wall coverings were tattered and faded after 150 years of exposure to daylight and damp, and on the external wall had to be removed from the wall entirely before they could be conserved and reinstated.
The conservation of the pier glasses alone was quoted at £50,000. In addition to money from the NHMF endowment, the project was supported by a grant of £40,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the mirrors and their frames.
Today the room once again gives visitors a chance to experience the Victorian Great Drawing Room in all its (slightly faded) grandeur. The work of these conservators, staff and volunteers mean that this glittering space remains on show for our visitors today and for future generations to enjoy.
