Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Now THAT'S a fireplace!


Last summer, husband Nick and I were on holiuday in beautiful Yorkshire and on the drive back home I was determined to stop off in Northumberland to visit Cragside.   I'd been wanting to visit this grand country house for a long time.

Cragside was owned by Sir William George Armstrong (1810 - 1900) and was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electric power - he was also responsible for the machinery that raised Tower Bridge.   He was so obsessed by the power of water that his family maintained he had "water on the brain".

This supremely grand chimney piece is situated in the Drawing Room.


The space beneath the canopy is large enough for a dozen people to meet.

This piece is in fact largely decorative as the room is heated from below by it's own pipe and boiler system.


Can you imagine that in miniature?
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10 comments:

  1. Jackie7 February 2012 at 14:08

    As you say Irene that is a fireplace! And will you be attempting to recreate in miniature?? Jackie x

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  2. Drora's minimundo7 February 2012 at 15:27

    Thank you for sharing. This mansion is very impresive. Especially the fireplace.
    Are you planning to take on the challenge?
    Hugs

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  3. Josje7 February 2012 at 16:18

    Wow, that certainly is a grand fireplace! Love that little sofa and the window on the right, what a great place to snuggle up with a book when it is really cold outside, fire blazing...
    Who knows, Sue Cook might like to make this :-)

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  4. Giac7 February 2012 at 16:26

    Hello irene,
    Wow! i would love to be sitting by that fire on cold Montreal days. It's spectacular!
    Beautiful pictures.
    By the way, I didn't have a chance to comment, but great job on the architectural details in your last post.
    Can't wait to see more,
    All the best,
    Giac

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  5. Ray Whitledge-Burgess7 February 2012 at 23:07

    Irene,
    Thank you for sharing the pictures of this amazing fireplace. It is wonderful and unlike anything I have ever seen.
    warm regards,
    Ray

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  6. Fi.P8 February 2012 at 10:31

    Wow!

    I've never seen such a grand fireplace, thats incredible, I bet it's even better in real life!

    You know Irene, I bet you've got Si thinking now.........he'll be staring off into space in no time!!!

    ML Fi X

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  7. miniacollection8 February 2012 at 15:38

    An incredible fireplace! Thanks for sharing.
    Geneviève

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  8. Irene8 February 2012 at 20:45

    It's certainly an amazing thing to see in real life.

    Jackie and Drora - who knows!!

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  9. Daydreamer11 February 2012 at 00:53

    Wow, Irene, That is THE MOST AMAZING Fireplace Imaginable! Thank you for sharing this! It's really difficult to get a sense of the scale until you see the settee tucked in under the window on the side.... and realize that that is Inside the inglenook! WOW!

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  10. John13 February 2012 at 02:15

    That fireplace is just too, too understated for my taste ;)

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