Drawing Room, Dunster Castle

A drawing room is not what it seems: it is, in fact, a "withdrawing room". In a country house, or even a smaller house (though with pretensions) ladies and/or gentlemen went there for entertainment after a meal had ended, or for a greater degree of privacy than was available elsewhere. In England such a room began to appear in the plans of larger houses in the mid-seveteenth century and remained popular into the twentieth century. This drawing room at Dunster Castle, Somerset, appealed to me and prompted a photograph because of the pleasant light from an adjoining garden room.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

The Saloon, Croft Castle

The Saloon (also known as the Drawing Room) is the largest room at Croft Castle. It has Early Georgian panelling but the ceiling and doorcases are by Thomas Farnolls Pritchard (1723-1777), an architect and interior decorator, who is best known as the designer of the world's first iron bridge at Iron Bridge. The fireplace is by the architect, Walter Sarel (1863-1941), who did extensive work on the Castle in 1913 and 1937.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300