Plans of Mansions from John Thorpe's Sketch-Book. 1840c.

For Sale is a Full Page removed from "Architectural Remains of the Reigns of Elizabeth and James 1st," By Charles James Richardson.
Printed by Day & Haghe, Lithographers to the Queen.
Date- 1840c.

This is Plate 1, and shows  "Plans of Mansions from John Thorpe's Sketch-Book." for the Following 3 Mansions.

BUCKHURST HOUSE in Sussex, the Mansion of Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth and James the First.
Ground plan only.  This plan, as it is carefully written to by Thorpe, is among the most valuable in his collection.
Buckhurst, the set of the Sackvilles before the magnificence of the Lord Treasurer extended itself at Knole, was situated in the parish of Withyham, in the northern boundary of the ancient fforest of Ashdown. There is now an old farm-house upon the site.  The ancient buildings have long since been demolished ;  the only remarkable feature left, is a detached tower, belonging to an entrance  gateway.  This is ornamented with the carvings of the arms of Sackville, and the old family crest of a ram's head.  The sheilds of arms, which are three in number, are surrounded with architectural labels, and garnished with Quatrefoils, roses, fleur-de-lis, and a bunch of hops.   The initials I. A. point out the builder, John Sackville, Esq. the grandfather of the Lord Treasurer, and his second wife, Anne Torrell.  A view of this yower may be seen in Amsinck's "Tunbridge Wells, and its neighbourhood,  1810."  4to.
The estate is now the property of Earl De la Warr, who is erecting in the immediate neighbourhood a splendid mansion from the designs of John Adey Repton, Esq. F.S.A.  The old name of Buckhurst is revived in favour of this mansion,  which rises on the site of an old house called Stonelands.

KIRBY, in Northamptonshire.  This mansion was the seat of Lord Chancellor Hatton  The manor of kirby, or Kyrkeby, was obtained by him, it is said, in exchange with Queen Elizabeth for that of Holdenby.  The mansion appears to have been buoit somewhat earlier, for the Stafford family, as their crest, a boar's head out of a ducal coronet, and the name "HUMFRE  STAFFORD," is on several parts of it.
The front and the large court were decorated by Inigo Jones about 1638.  From a description given by Carter, who surveyed itin 1783,  and whose remarks were published in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1812, the Quadrangle must have presented a very handsome architectural coup-d'oeil.
The entrance porch he describes to consist of three stories, the two lower Ionic and Corinthian, in Inigo Jones's best manner, and the third, which was Thorpe's, consisted of eight Composite oilasters, with an enriched entablature, and highly-laboured mosaic ornaments on the grounds between them.  The pilasters were supported by eight consoles, below which was the following motto and date :  IE -  SERAY - 1572 - LOYAL.
The old mansion is still standing ;  part of it is in occupationof two farmers, and the rest has been used for many years as granaries,
In Thorpe's sketch, a few of the rooms only are written to ;  the first floor plan, which is likewise given, appears unfinished.  On the garden side, the two staircases at each end of the terrace lead up to the gallery on the first floor.

AMPTHILL.  This mansion or castle stood in the present park of Ampthill House, Bedfordshire, the seat of Lord Holland.  Leland describes the ancient building as "Standing stately on a hill, with a four or five faire towers of stone in the inner warde, besides the basse courte."  It was built by Sir John Cornwall, a distinguished military character in the reigns of Henry the Fourth and Fifth.  At the battle of Agincourt he was one of the chosen officers who had the post of honour with the Duke of York in the van.  Leyland says, that "he builded the Castelle, and Antehill of such spoils as it is said he win in France;" he died here in 1443.
Ampthill was the residence of Catharine of Aragon, first Queen of Henry VIII. while the business of her divorce was pending, and she was cited thence to attend the Commissioners at Dunstable, but refused to obey the summons.

Condition is Good, with the odd Light Foxing spot showing.