Figure 1.--This scene at Sudbury Hall is staged in the library to shown a Regency scene set about the 1810s with period costuming.

Sudbury Hall is an important building in England's architectural history. It is perhaps the most richly decorated English country house from the Stuart Resoration. The ornate interiors can be overwhelming. The decorative Caroline ceiling plaster work was embelished with ceiling paintings by Laguerre in the 1690s. Some believe that the most impressive ceiling of any country house in England is in the in the long gallery which runs the entire length of the house. The interior of Sudbury Hall is noted for stunning decorative plasterwork. There is also Grinling Gibbons woodcarving, including a magnificent overmantel. Another notable attribute are Louis Laguerre's painted ceilings. The centerpiece amd most extensive feature of Sudbury Hall is the great staircase balustrade, designed by Edward Pearce. It is certainly the finest in any English country house. Around the great staircase are beautiful plasterwork and allegorical paintings by Louis Laguerre. These and other interior are well-preserved, althoug in some of the rooms the furnishings are not extensive. The superb plasterwork continues into the long gallery where the Roman emperors appear along with with exotic animals and foliage--shells, palm fronds and seedpods worked round a central rosette. Beyond the great staircase and long gllery there are many other rooms of interest. The library is one of the interesying, but less well known rooms. Here we see a scene set during Empire/Regency period about 1810.

Created: September 9, 2003
Last updated: September 9, 2003