Fete to honor the Duke of Wellington
Garden side of Carlton House in 1820
John Nash built a series of temporary rooms and buildings in the garden at Carlton House to house a fete honoring the Duke of Wellington. A polygonal ballroom one hundred and twenty feet in diameter with a tented roof was the main feature. The room was brick with a leaded roof. The interior of the ballroom was designed to give the impression of summer light, airiness, and festivity. It was designed to replicate a huge bell tent so the umbrella shaped ceiling was painted to resemble muslin. The upper walls and ceiling were then hung with gilt cords and tassels to further the resemblance to a tent. Muslin draperies covered the walls. They were swagged open to reveal mirrors hung on the walls. The ballroom was illuminated with twelve sparkling chandeliers. A pair of flower covered temples had been erected in the polygonal ballroom to screen the bands. A covered promenade hung with draperies and rose colored cords led to a Corinthian temple. Inside was a marble bust of the Duke of Wellington by Turnerelli placed on a column in front of a large mirror engraved with a star and a capital letter W. Another covered walkway hung with green calico displayed transparencies representing such subjects as the "Overthrow of Tyranny by the Allied Power". Elsewhere in the garden were supper tents and refreshment rooms hung with white and rose curtains and with regimental colors printed on silk.
On July 21,1814 the Prince Regent held a Fete, in the temporary rooms in the garden of Carlton House, to honor the Duke of Wellington. The first of the two thousand guests began to arrive at nine o'clock. They were received at the grand entrance by equerries who conducted the guests to the fanciful rooms and tents on the garden front of Carlton House.
The Regent himself appeared in his field marshal's full dress uniform wearing his English, French, and Prussian orders. He had long wished to be made a field marshal of the British army, but his father had steadfastly refused on the grounds that since George was the Prince of Wales and several of his brothers were pursuing military careers they should hold some honors he did not. Now, as Prince Regent, George could suit himself.
The fete was a great success. Even the Queen stayed until half-past four and many guests were still there at dawn.
Duke of Wellington |
Read & watch more about the people and the time: History: Wellington: The Iron Dukeby Richard Holmes WELLINGTON'S SPIES by Mary McGrigor Wellington's Rifles : Six Years to Waterloo with England's Legendary Sharpshooters by Mark Urban Fiction: Sharpe's Tiger (Sharpe's Adventures) by Bernard Cornwell Master and Commander (Aubrey Maturin Series) by Patrick O'Brian DVDs: Sharpe's Rifles Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World Horatio Hornblower Vol. 1 - The Duel Horatio Hornblower Collector's Edition The Madness of King George |
