Friday 14 March 2014

Danson House, Kent

Leaving Hall Place behind we arrive at Danson House which is only 10 minutes drive away.


This Georgian house was designed as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of central London, Danson House was completed in 1766 
Sir John Boyd was a sugar merchant and Vice-Chairman of the British East India Company.
Together with the notable architect Sir Robert Taylor, Boyd created this homage to the Golden Age of Antiquity, filling it with art and sculpture from his travels. Today his home gives us a fascinating insight into fashionable Georgian life. 


We begin our tour in the cellars







Lots of interesting aspects to this room with lots of mirrors



The octagonal salon with its fabulous mirrors and hand blocked wallpaper





The library, featuring a rare George England organ


The entrance hall


The magnificent oval top-lit stairway





Some museum pieces


A Chinese tea room



A bedroom


What you can see pouring out of the fireplace are all kinds of electrical leads giving a touch of modern life




Looking out over the parkland and lake







We finish our visit in the team room of course
this room was the original breakfast room looking out over the parkland


and out into that same parkland from where we will go to our third visit of the day about a 15 minute walk away



15 comments:

Patsy said...

How lovely! I enjoyed the tour very much. Thank you

Gracie Saylor said...

My husband would have loved to have fiddled around with the pipe organ, Barbara. He helped maintain the pipe organ in his boyhood church, and could play at least one hymn :) The hand blocked wallpaper, and the teacup tower received my special interest! Thanks for the tour! xx

Terri said...

Beautiful. What's with the red T-shirts hanging at the top of the stairwell?
Thanks again for the tour. You are good to take us with you.
Hugs

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

The cellars are wonderfully high-ceilinged and domed. Not what one might expect in the "basement" area of even a big house like this. There are certainly some very interesting art pieces on display.

ChrisJ said...

I wonder what the Georgians would think of our homes today. By comparison I would think that we live a much more simplified life -- well most of us anyway.

Diane at My Cottage Garden said...

What a magnificent place. Thanks for the tour.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

How exquisite that home is. I can't imagine some one living in such a ornate place. It would be like living in a museum. I love how you seem to always end in the tea room.

elizabeth said...

Dear Barbara,
You are a wonder at finding interesting places to visit that I had never heard of.....my list gets longer and longer....
How tranquil indeed this is.
Hoping you and Alan are enjoying the beginnings of spring which I fear 'is far behind' here.
I gather you had lovely weather last weekend.
ps you tea shop visit always delights me and makes my mouth water!

Vee said...

What a beautiful and interesting home with all the various collections. The clothing (?) hung up in the dome was intriguing. What I like best us the room with the windows that appear to have the inner shutters that I like so well. I wish that my home had them!

CherryPie said...

That looks like a really interesting house to visit. Thank you for the virtual tour :-)

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

That is a beautiful place!

Lorrie said...

I suppose this home reflects the rising status of the merchant class. It's a lovely structure with graceful lines.

Canadian Chickadee said...

What a fantastic post -- and what a beautiful historic home! Don't you love round gallery at the top of the stairs? I can just imagine sweeping down the stairs in a satin gown. Of course i would be a connection of the owner, and not one of the servants necessary to keep such a house humming! Fantasies! xoxox

Adrienne said...

What a beautiful place! I especially loved seeing the organ and the spiral staircase. This is a wonderful piece of history that has been preserved for your enjoyment.
~Adrienne~

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, and that staircase is magnificent.