Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-07
HOME FIT FOR A KING
Duchess Of Marlborough's New
Palace In London.
NOBLE MAEsIoEsTILLAs BESIDE IT

Erected by the DEAe In MAyxA1rs II
Already S1.590,000 and End OF Out
lay Is Net In sight-HaIls and
s-tafrcases III of Marhlc.
The palace the Duke of Marlborough
is building for himself in Tie L.eart of
Mayfair recently began to emerge from
its swaddling clothes Of scaGc.aing SO
hat il Is possible to gain a Grst idea
of its extent and magnidcence, writes
the Lon+oa correspondent Of the New
yoyas World.
x promises to be far and away tie
finest example of domestic architecture
provided for London in recent years.
Beside its stately proportions the house
that the late Barney Barnato built for
himself IN Park Lane, but never oecu-
pied. Il a mere gloriied villa, while the
brownstone mansion erected by Alfred
Belt further up that avenue OF million
aires is merely a stunted and dingy edi-
fee.
When it came to be a question Of
having a town house, the duke deter
mined to have something appropriate
to the grandeur and dignity of his IL
ties and descent, as well, of course, as
his own position. or nothing at all.
Blandford House is q princely struc-
ture, princely in style, in position, and,
by ali accounts, even more princely In
cost. 1t is stated that he paid S3S0,000
for the freehold site; 100000 was the
original contract for the building, while
over $780, coo has already been expend-
ed in furniture and decorations, though
this is by no means the end of the out
lay i'll that direction.
The house is rectangular in shape,
and II it has defect it is that it is too
narrow for its length. The front meas
ures 63 feet, while the side measures
100. Greater width was impossible in
view of the site chosen, which has the
advantage of having a street on all is
four sides. Along the whole length q
the side runs the picture gallery and
ballroom. lighted by eleven stained
glass windows, with marble columns
supporting a richly carved ceiling. The
main entrance is on CurZon street and
ON the left hand orn The entrance
hall is Il fairly wide space opening into
a large hall. from which rises the main
staircase of white marble. The stairs
are 81 d great width. and after the first
SIX steps are assembled a broad gallery
is arrived at. from each side of which
winds a double continuation of the
stairs. all Of marble.
At the point on the stairway where
the high stained windows throw a null
ticolored light over the mosaic floors
and marble columns the ceiling rises to
a height of thirty feet, and it is here
hat all the most magnificent carvings
will be introduced. Many inches have
been left in the walls for the reception
of statues, on which numbers of artists
are now at work.
There are fifty rooms in all. The
dukes writing room and study is on
the ground floor. to the right of the
entrance. Next to it comes a large and
perfectly circular morning room, with
three doors. while at the back, running
along from one end to the other, is the
dining room and servery, with a series
of lifts on the most approved American
principles, wherewith to convey all edi-
bles from the kitchens below. There
are two drawing rooms on the first
loor, L at either end of the house, SO
as to have the IL or shade as the sum-
mer day advances.
From the picture gallery you can
have access to either, and a marble
balustrade looks over the wide stair
that seems designed at many parts to
contain cozy seated corners for CONVEX
sation after dinner. The most modern
appointments in billiard rooms, self
contained bath and bed rooms, lifts
and all other comforts are being pro-
vided in Il very thorough manner, and
the smaller important details of design
in the fittings are all made especially
by several of the biggest firms In Amer
lea.
The third floor is devoted to the nurs-
cries, bed. bath and dressing Don
for the young Marquis of Blandford
and his little brother, and there are
two large playrooms where swings and
other r%ecreations may be freely en-
joyed. 1t is somewhat a pity that there
is no garden space anywhere about the
house, nor is there ever a space be
tween the street and the house itself.
The open area that will run halfway
round the house lights the kitchens and
stores below. Fortunately, however,
there is IA good deal of light from the
front.
The decoration of the exterior walls
is severely plain and is only relieved
by a series of carved marble heads of
classical design upon which a number
OF French ana Italian workmen are
nov engaged, The cornice on each side
of the building will weigh 100 tons. For
the past two years the duke and dhch-
ess have been making extensive pur-
chases on the continent of tapestry and
furnit1ra for THAR now hama Tho