Vann Croft
Avington Park , Hampshire
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Stately home in Hampshire; the building was enlarged in 1670 by the addition of two wings and a classical portico and by enclosing the earlier part with a façade of the same brickwork. The State Rooms on view include the Ballroom, the Red Drawing Room and the Library, and each has its own unique attractions and points of interest. The main hall was decorated by Clermont in about 1780, and at the foot of the main staircase is a memorial to the Hon. Charles Rolls, who was killed in a ballooning accident in Bournemouth in 1911. The Ballroom, or Great Saloon, has a truly magnificent gold plasterwork ceiling, painted wall panels depicting the four seasons and many other remarkable paintings, as well as some imposing mirrors. In the striking Red Drawing Room are more marvellous panels, friezes and cornices, pelmets and especially fine mirrors. Among the features in the Library are original Delft tiles, painted panels of centaurs, a George lll round table, an 18th century samovar and a Dutch model of a man-of-war - and about 2,000 books. In the grounds, the iron bridge over the River Itchen is a rare feature dating from the 18th century. The Library can be transformed into an intimate dining room for 90 diners or a reception room for 175 buffet-style. Hampshire 17th-century stately home; beautiful, colourful interiors that include an opulent ballroom
