Explore Fairfax: Dining Room
The principal room on the ground floor, where royalty and presidents have been elegantly entertained.
Polychrome fireplace
If Lord Fairfax and Anne came back today they would feel completely at home. Above the fireplace, their kinsman, Admiral Robert Fairfax presides over the proceedings and other Maritime Paintings in this room reflect his nautical interest.
Set below the superb stucco ceiling, with the figure of Abundance at its centre, is a recreated meal based on the family housekeeping records and invoices for Georgian silver.
Musical entertainment is provided by the cleverly designed Spinet and for private dining, an exquisite Dumb Waiter waits in the wings, ready for use.
A handsome polychrome fireplace has, at its centre, Aesop’s fable of the Wolf and the Crane. A wolf has a bone stuck in its throat and this 18thC poem explains the moral behind the story:
"In vain the torture’d Wolf to all Complain;
Till meeting with the Crane, in hopes of gain;
She gives him ease, when asking to be paid;
Fond fool (cry’d he) go thank me for thy head.
MORAL
Well meaning Love is often paid with Hate;
And a good nature’s Lost on an Ingrate."
Set below the superb stucco ceiling, with the figure of Abundance at its centre, is a recreated meal based on the family housekeeping records and invoices for Georgian silver.
Musical entertainment is provided by the cleverly designed Spinet and for private dining, an exquisite Dumb Waiter waits in the wings, ready for use.
A handsome polychrome fireplace has, at its centre, Aesop’s fable of the Wolf and the Crane. A wolf has a bone stuck in its throat and this 18thC poem explains the moral behind the story:
"In vain the torture’d Wolf to all Complain;
Till meeting with the Crane, in hopes of gain;
She gives him ease, when asking to be paid;
Fond fool (cry’d he) go thank me for thy head.
MORAL
Well meaning Love is often paid with Hate;
And a good nature’s Lost on an Ingrate."
MORE ABOUT the Dining Room
Dumb Waiter
An important two-tier waiter with revolving octagonal tiers.
Category: Furniture
Maritime Paintings
Shipping Offshore in a Stormy Sea, by John Wilson Carmichael, dated 1845. The artist lived and worked in Newcastle painting shipping scenes until 1845 when he moved to London.
Category: Paintings
Silver Epergne
The name for this type of centrepiece is an English invention and although the word epergne sounds French, it has little meaning to historians in France.
Category: Silver work
Spinet
A shaped spinet, probably designed for a dining room, by Manchester maker John Kirsham, dated July 17th 1769.
Category: Furniture
Stuccowork - 'Abundance'
The design in the Dining Room ceiling is taken from the illustrated works of Cesare Ripa c.1645, 4th. edn. a pattern book in great favour with Italian stuccoists of the day.
Category: Architectural feature
Table Setting
Lord Fairfax spent large sums on silver, porcelain and napery for the dining room table and the housekeeping accounts show that he and his daughter, Anne, entertained lavishly.
Category: Silver work
Wine Glass
Category: Miscellaneous
Dumb WaiterAn important two-tier waiter with revolving octagonal tiers.
Category: Furniture
Maritime PaintingsShipping Offshore in a Stormy Sea, by John Wilson Carmichael, dated 1845. The artist lived and worked in Newcastle painting shipping scenes until 1845 when he moved to London.
Category: Paintings
Silver Epergne The name for this type of centrepiece is an English invention and although the word epergne sounds French, it has little meaning to historians in France.
Category: Silver work
SpinetA shaped spinet, probably designed for a dining room, by Manchester maker John Kirsham, dated July 17th 1769.
Category: Furniture
Stuccowork - 'Abundance'The design in the Dining Room ceiling is taken from the illustrated works of Cesare Ripa c.1645, 4th. edn. a pattern book in great favour with Italian stuccoists of the day.
Category: Architectural feature
Table SettingLord Fairfax spent large sums on silver, porcelain and napery for the dining room table and the housekeeping accounts show that he and his daughter, Anne, entertained lavishly.
Category: Silver work
Wine GlassCategory: Miscellaneous