Inside the House
A visit to Hutton is a remarkable journey through time. From the medieval Stone Hall to the high Victorian Drawing Room, the rooms represent a succession of historical eras and styles. The rooms contain fine period furniture sitting alongside contemporary ceramics. There are interesting collections of portraits (including – unusually – several by 17th and 18th century women artists), good examples of needlework and tapestries (some more than 500 years old), and fierce decorative weaponry!
The Stone Hall
The way into Hutton is through the Stone Hall at the base of the Pele Tower, the oldest part of the building, which was turned into the main entrance in the late 19th century. This barrel-vaulted, dungeon-like room is typical of the period. It has immensely thick walls and contains a fearsome mantrap.
The Cupid Room
Perhaps the finest room in the house, the Cupid Room is the first of a suite of three rooms designed for Henry Fletcher in the 1740s. This architectural room is named after the Cupid centerpiece of the delicate rococo ceiling, for which the plasterer Joseph Rose the Elder was paid £25 in 1745.
Lady Darlington’s Room
Named after Caroline Vane, the second Countess of Darlington, who was a cousin and a regular visitor to Hutton, this wonderful 18th century bedroom was redecorated during the Arts and Crafts period. It has dark green paintwork and William Morris wallpaper and contains a fine collection of metalwork from the Keswick School of Industrial Art.
Contemporary Ceramics
Since hosting Potfest in the Park, an eclectic collection of contemporary ceramics has been built up at Hutton, including works by Martin McWilliam, Peter Beard, and other renowned potters from all over Europe and Japan. They sit very happily in the old rooms.
William Morris Wallpapers
All the wallpapers in the house are by William Morris. Several others were painted over after the war when they fell out of fashion. The examples found at Hutton are some of the best.
The Cupid Staircase
Hutton is a romantic place, as the magnificent Cupid Staircase testifies. The 17th century carving of the winged boys swinging on acanthus leaves is unusually bold and vigorous and echoes the panel from the Playing Boys set of Mortlake tapestries at the head of the stairs.
The Stone Hall
The way into Hutton is through the Stone Hall at the base of the Pele Tower, the oldest part of the building, which was turned into the main entrance in the late 19th century. This barrel-vaulted, dungeon-like room is typical of the period. It has immensely thick walls and contains a display of weaponry and a fearsome mantrap.
The Cupid Room
Perhaps the finest room in the house, the Cupid Room is the first of a suite of three rooms designed for Henry Fletcher in the 1740s. This architectural room is named after the Cupid centerpiece of the delicate rococo ceiling, for which the plasterer Joseph Rose the Elder was paid £25 in 1745.
Lady Darlington’s Room
Named after Caroline Vane, the second Countess of Darlington, who was a cousin and a regular visitor to Hutton, this wonderful 18th century bedroom was redecorated during the Arts and Crafts period. It has dark green paintwork and William Morris wallpaper and contains a fine collection of metalwork from the Keswick School of Industrial Art.
Contemporary Ceramics
Since hosting Potfest in the Park, an eclectic collection of contemporary ceramics has been built up at Hutton, including works by Martin McWilliam, Peter Beard, and other renowned potters from all over Europe and Japan. They sit very happily in the old rooms.
William Morris Wallpapers
All the wallpapers in the house are by William Morris. Several others were painted over after the war when they fell out of fashion. The examples found at Hutton are some of the best.
The Cupid Staircase
Hutton is a romantic place, as the magnificent Cupid Staircase testifies. The 17th century carving of the winged boys swinging on acanthus leaves is unusually bold and vigorous and echoes the panel from the Playing Boys set of Mortlake tapestries at the head of the stairs.
A Snapshot into the Past
A Snapshot into the PastA visit to Hutton is an opportunity to glimpse the past. Take a look at how well the rooms have been preserved by comparing the rooms today with photographs from a century ago.
The Hall
The Hall is one of Hutton’s principal rooms, remodelled by Anthony Salvin in the 1830s. The best of the features from the 17th Century were retained, including the panelling and the Cupid Staircase.
The Gallery
Long Galleries are a great rarity in the north of England; the one at Hutton was built in 1635 in the Carolingian style. The interior was sensitively restored in the 19th Century and has an interesting collection of furniture, family portraits, china and spinning wheels.
The Drawing Room
The Drawing Room is a fine example of the richness, intensity, and cluttered diversity of Victorian style in what is essentially a Regency room. It contains an unusual suite of Gillow furniture in the Hepplewhite style characterized by a small rosette at the top of the legs, the side-by-side ‘quarrelsome chairs’ and an early Broadwood piano.