Breamore House

In 1856 most of the remaining Elizabethan interiors were destroyed by a disastrous fire. Fortunately a good deal of the contents accumulated by the family over the years were saved.

The house was carefully rebuilt by a Victorian architect. When the original Elizabethan E-shaped entrance front was rebuilt it was not 'improved' and today it looks much as is did in 1583.

The main changes to the house were to the north side where the hall block was doubled in width to accommodate a new entrance hall and staircase. From here an Elizabethan wing with its own entrance porch projects to the north, creating an L-shaped building. Since this time there have been few changes to the house.

Breamore House is approached from the south west, through a farm courtyard. Part of this has been altered to create a museum of rural life and crafts.

The Countryside Museum takes visitors back to the time when a village was self-sufficient. A path from here leads passed the ancient church, one of the best preserved Anglo-Saxon churches in the south of England, to the original E-shaped entrance front of Braemore House.

The Elizabethan manor house has a fine collection of pictures and furniture.

The first room to be viewed is the Dining Room, dating from the 19th century, with an elaborate 16th century chimneypiece that may have been moved here from elsewhere in the house. Paintings in this room include pictures of dead game by Peter Rysbrack.

The Great Hall also dates from the 19th century but the chimneypiece is Elizabethan and the panelling and ceiling may have been an attempt to recreate the original decoration. The room was enlarged after the fire and now has the appearance of a long gallery. It is hung with works by Marcus Gheeraerts, Cornelius Johnson and Teniers and there are some unusual pieces of 17th century furniture.

From here pass through two plainly decorated drawing rooms which contain early-18th century Dutch marquetry furniture, Rococo mirrors and family portraits by Frances Cotes and John Riley.

The Inner Hall, was part of the 19th century additions to the house. This contains mementos of Sir Samuel Hulse military career. He was aide de camp to the Prince Regent and rose to become Field Marshall and Treasurer of the Royal Household.

The 19th century staircase with an English carpet dated 1614 is hung with Dutch paintings and rises to a lobby displaying items acquired in the Caribbean in the late 17th century.

The Blue Bedroom, over the hall, has a series of beautiful pastel portraits by Francis Cole. The last rooms to be viewed are two bedrooms created at an early date from what may have been an Elizabeth gallery. These rooms contain early-17th century beds with their original hangings and Flemish tapestries dated 1630.

The old Kitchen downstairs has an array of kitchen utensils including highly polished pots and pans. Outside, the 18th century stable block now houses a collection of carriages and there is an octagonal Victorian clock tower.