BELTON HOUSE, Lincolnshire. UK

Part of the water feature at the rear of the house opposite the fountain and orangery.

My latest trip out with my sketchbook was at the weekend when I travelled for just under two hours to reach Belton House, one of the finest 17th century country houses in Britain.

Built between 1685 and 1688 for Sir John Brownlow, the 3rd Baron of Great Humby, Belton stands in thousands of acres of parkland. The 3rd Earl Brownlow restored the house in the 1870s. Through marriage the property passed into the hands of the Cust family. John Cust was created Earl Brownlow and Viscount Alford in 1815.
The 7th Baron Brownlow gave Belton to The National Trust in 1984.

1 2
(1)One of the many stone garden decorations situated at the rear of the house in formal setting close to the fountain and orangery (2)

Queen Adelaide stayed here and has a room named after her, King George III was entertained here and Edward VIII often stayed here before his abdication.
The author Edith Wharton was so taken by Belton House that she had a miniature version of it built in Massachusetts.

Belton has been used as a setting for many television series and dramas including 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Tom Jones', 'The Buccaneers' and 'Bleak House'.

The Chapel - Sketched from the balcony area where a cosy arrangement of upholstered chairs are situated.

The Chinese Room - Bed canopy.

~

The Chinese Room is the room in which Edward VIII liked to stay when he visited Belton, sleeping in the mid 19th century bed with its glazed chintz hangings.

~~~

This was the first time using my handbag sketch kit in a National Trust property. I have previously used my A4 Venezia sketchbook but could rarely sketch inside the properties because there is no seating for visitors and the book is too large to balance, hence missing out on sketching all those gorgeous, ornate interiors!

I decided something needed to change on my return from Wimpole Hall last week, so I took two brush pens, a pigment liner and an A6 spiral bound W&N sketchbook into Belton House with me and created the two monochrome sketches above.

My kit worked beautifully, the A6 was easy to hold, even with my sketch bag on my shoulder and the brush pens filled with ink added a little tone instantly, just what I was hoping for.

I created the colour sketches in the gardens directly into my A4 Venezia as usual and on my return home I tore out the interior sketches from the W&N, mounted them on black paper and stuck them into my A4 Venezia. They look great and everything is all together, just as I like it!

~~~

More information on this property:
Heritage Trail

Stately Homes

Photographs of Belton by Lincolnian