Fake Doors and a Subtle Joke: Secrets of the Stone Hall
- tracy82844
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
If you seek to understand the sheer ambition of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s first Prime Minister, one good place to look is Houghton’s Stone Hall. A breathtaking feat of Palladian architecture, this room was built to impress and endure.
The double-height hall, on the first floor, served as a grand architectural statement of power for Sir Robert. It was originally the formal entrance hall to the state floor or “piano nobile”, accessed by an external double staircase on the East Front. This staircase is no longer in place, having been removed by Sir Robert Walpole’s grandson, the 3rd Earl of Orford, in the late 18th century.
The piano nobile (Italian for "noble floor") is the architectural term for the principal floor of a grand house. In the 18th century, particularly in English Palladian and Georgian architecture, this design was widely employed to denote status, and was characteristically raised a full storey above the ground floor. This elevation separated the wealthy residents and their guests from the activities of the ground floor and provided better views – in Houghton’s case, of the expansive parkland.
On entering the Stone Hall, visitors’ gazes are often drawn upwards to the intricately decorated ceiling, its curved sides shaped to improve the acoustics of a room that has so many reflective surfaces. Recalling his visit of 1731, the prominent politician Lord Hervey commented that it was:
The best executed of anything I ever saw in stucco in any country.
Today’s visitors can take in that same view which so enraptured Lord Hervey nearly 300 years ago. The plasterwork is by Giuseppe Artari, one of the leading Italian stuccadores in England in the 1720s, and features Sir Robert’s then newly acquired Garter Star and the Walpole coat of arms, with the motto Fari Qua Sentiat: “Do what you feel”.
There is much to fascinate, such as playful putti (cherubs), of which all except one are male. The only female sits in the south-west corner, positioned specifically to face the statue of Sir Robert Walpole over the fireplace – assumed to be a joke. In the corners, facing the cherubs, are sphinxes (half woman, half lion).
Take time to linger in the Stone Hall – Houghton’s room attendants are very knowledgeable and always happy to answer questions.
Here are a few more facts to help inspire you.
Designed by Colen Campbell and refined by the legendary William Kent, the Stone Hall is a mathematical marvel. It takes the form of a perfect 40-foot cube, complete with a sweeping gallery.
To maintain the room's flawless symmetry, the gallery features nine doors—but only four actually lead anywhere! The other five are clever "false" doors, strictly there for the aesthetic.
The hall’s name comes from its stunning finish in Beer stone, a durable variety of chalk from Beer Quarry Caves in Devon. It was mined by the Romans and used by the Normans to build cathedrals like Westminster Abbey.
Adorning the ancient walls are sculptures by John Michael Rysbrack, one of the era’s most sought-after artists, and intricate plasterwork by the Artari brothers, whose presence on-site in the 1720s is still evidenced today by old wine records!
Look out for Diana’s mask, hunting horns, a fox’s head and foxhounds (Sir Robert Walpole was a passionate huntsman who hosted extravagant, week-long hunting parties).
The room is a family tree carved in stone. Look for the roundels to see Sir Robert gazing toward his wife, Catherine Shorter. Their son Robert is looking toward his wife, Margaret Rolle.
There’s also a marble bust of Sir Robert Walpole by Rysbrack, which sits prominently above the fireplace, positioned higher than the surrounding sculptures to signify his status.
A massive giltwood chandelier dominates the space; it was added in 1748 by Robert Walpole, the 2nd Earl of Orford (elder son of Sir Robert).
The bronze cast of the Laocoön Group, a famous ancient Roman sculpture depicting a priest and his sons, was purchased in Paris by Sir Robert’s son, Robert, in c.1722 for 1000 guineas.
A suite of mahogany benches and side tables specifically designed by William Kent for their current positions.