3-070-856 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

St. Leonard's Hill, the residence of the Prince of Wales during the Ascot Week, 1881. Engraving from a photograph by Vernon Heath. 'The stately mansion...[of] St. Leonard's Hill is situated not far from the Ascot racecourse...and stands on the top of a high hill, commanding fine views of the surrounding country in every direction. An old house which formerly belonged to the Duke of Cumberland, was here rebuilt for Mr. F. T. Barry a few years ago, the architect being Mr. C. H. Howell...The interior decorations, by Messrs. G. Trollope and Sons, of Belgravia, are very magnificent; there is a spacious octagon hall, adorned with wall-paintings of scenes from Homer's "Iliad," and one of the ante-rooms is lined with Mexican onyx, a beautiful material recently introduced by Messrs. Trollope. In the dining-room, among other pictures, is one that belonged to the old house, a portrait of George I., by Allan Ramsay; and some part of the antique furniture also remains in the anteroom, between the dining-room and drawing-room. The mansion affords a vast amount of accommodation, which will be required upon this occasion, for it is said that the suite of their Royal Highness will number about seventy persons, during the week of Ascot Races'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.