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Best Staircase

Samuel Hauduroy

Category

Architecture / Features & Decoration

Date

1698 - 1702

Materials

Cedar, black walnut, walnut, oak, softwood, varnish, paint

Place of origin

England

Collection

Dyrham, Gloucestershire

NT 456461

Summary

A cantilevered staircase, of black walnut, walnut, cedar and oak, with some later painting and graining, English, designed by Huguenot architect Samuel Hauduroy (fl. c. 1698), made by Robert Barker (fl.c. 1694, possibly d. 1732), a London joiner. Rising from the ground floor to the second floor, and comprising treads, ‘panelled’ risers (all, apart from the first, 135mm high), a balustrade and hand-rail, and dado panelling on the wall side. A combination of cedar and walnut veneers over softwood and oak, some solid walnut and cedar, some un-veneered oak and other timbers with a later oak-grained or painted finish. The treads of the stairs of the lower flights veneered in black walnut, the spindles of the balustrade and hand-rail carved from solid walnut. The ‘panelled’ veneered risers and carved acanthus brackets of American Cedar. Above the first floor, the treads and risers of oak; the spindles still of cedar, but slightly different in profile. The handrail and newel post of oak, in places grained (so possibly of another timber). The stairs panelled to dado height all the way up to the top floor, where the dado stops. The dado panelling is grained to resemble cedar. Some timber re-used, probably from the old house at Dyrham, part-demolished to make way for the new building of the late 17th and early 18th century.

Full description

This remarkable staircase was designed by the French Protestant exile architect (Huguenot), Samuel Hauduroy, and built by Robert Barker, a joiner from London, for Willilam Blathwayt (1649-1717) of Dyrham Park, near Bristol, who undertook the renovation of the old house on its site in two phases between 1691 and 1704. Drawings - with French annotations - survive in the Dyrham archive showing the development of the design. One page has options for baluster shapes with William Blathwayt’s annotation: 'This will harbour dust very much'. The black walnut, walnut and cedar used in the making of the staircase were acquired by Blathwayt as a direct result of his influence and activity in British Colonial North America, where walnut and cedar were cultivated for bark for tanning, the nuts for food, and treating skin conditions. The timber became highly prized in Europe for the colour of the polished wood and its attractive grain. Two of Blathwayt’s close associates scoured settlements in Virginia and North Carolina for suppliers. Local boats brought the cargo from across the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River to Jamestown. There they were loaded onto Bristol bound ships. Sea captains needed persuading to take such bulky consignments and give up such profitable space. Once at Bristol it took time and effort to cart the heavy loads eleven miles along poorly made roads to Dyrham. There is no record of Blathwayt making any payment for this timber: it is assumed that they were 'gifted' to him in exchange for his favour and influence, an example of the 'gift-giving' which brokered and eased European colonial encroachment and of the 'perquisites' which leading Europeans with influence in the colonies could hope to acquire. Colonial administration helped Blathwayt move from relative social obscurity to the top of Britain’s landed elite. His judicious marriage to Mary Wynter (d. 1691) and the profits of his career in government afforded his turning an outdated Tudor property into a lavish country house, with extensive gardens and parkland. He was the son of a modest London lawyer, who died before William’s first birthday. His maternal uncle Thomas Povey (c.1613–c.1705) cleared the family debts and raised his nephew to follow in his own colonial career. Povey sold his library and paintings collection to Blathwayt for use at Dyrham, alongside items of furniture, including a pair of stands carved in the shape of enslaved, chained figures (NT 452977). He also secured Blathwayt’s first official position in 1668 as a clerk at the English embassy in The Hague. Obviously intelligent and fastidious, William soon advanced through the ranks of government administration in London. After The Hague, he entered the Plantations office in 1675 and by 1679 was secretary to the Board of Trade. Blathwayt’s most significant colonial role came in 1680 when he was made Surveyor and Auditor-General of Plantations Revenues, a role he held until his death in 1717. His responsibilities were to account for all the income due to the crown from royal colonies, such as Virginia, Jamaica and Barbados, though this evolved over the years. Through this position Blathwayt gained huge insight, knowledge and influence, although he never crossed the Atlantic. Later, in 1696, Blathwayt became a member of the Board of Trade. Blathwayt was not just active in colonial matters. As Clerk to the Privy Council from 1678 he was close to successive monarchs, and twice an MP, for Newton on the Isle of Wight (1685–87) and then the city of Bath (1693–1710). Most impactful was his time spent as Secretary at War, a role he purchased with royal blessing in 1683 and which perhaps proved far more active than anticipated. He marched in 1688 with James II at the ‘Glorious Revolution’ and after a short interlude was reappointed by William III. The role took on greater urgency as Blathwayt oversaw the management of a remodelled army that spent nearly a decade on campaign in Flanders – a war requiring the foundation of the Bank of England to finance. While abroad with the king in the 1690s, Blathwayt took on yet another role as acting Secretary of State, all the time continuing his colonial duties and remotely directing the construction of Dyrham Park. Blathwayt’s official income from these many positions was substantial, peaking in the 1690s at around £4000 a year (millions today), but it is evident from his extensive archive that there were additional perks and privileges with these roles. It is unknown to what extent Blathwayt personally participated in colonial industries. He was offered investment opportunities, including beaver trading and silver mines, but did not seem to accept. What is clear is that few men were in a better position than Blathwayt to benefit from a position at the centre of an imperial network. He became one of the wealthiest government administrators of the day, and this found expression in Dyrham Park.

Provenance

Architectural Exteriors, Interiors, Features & Decoration forming part of the transfer of Dyrham Park to The National Trust by the National Land Fund in 1958 (house and garden) and 1961 (estate).

Makers and roles

Samuel Hauduroy, architect Robert Barker (fl. c.1692), joiner Samuel Hauduroy, designer

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