View Full Version : Victorian English House Plans
Tundra
July 23rd, 2009, 04:35 PM
I need to find some house plans for Victorian (or Regency or Georgian, as they're living in the house in the Victorian era it doesn't mean the house itself is Victorian) homes- English ones. It doesn't have to be actual blueprints, it could be just a floor plan for a now-museum. I'm looking for ones that are upper middle class, and not a town house. Preferably one that's in the country. Someone who made their money, but were given the money to start making that money via inheritance, but they do have to work/run a company. Quite a large house, with servants, but though it would be considered a mansion today, it doesn't have a ballroom, or that sort of thing.
I have no idea how to find this.
Serafina
July 23rd, 2009, 08:07 PM
Not sure if you would be able to find these online, but I have a couple of guidebooks that include house plans that I probably scan in for you.
I have Standen (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-standen/w-standen-history.htm) and also Down House (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.14927) -which was Darwin's house, possibly Chartwell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartwell) - which was Churchill's house, and Royal Pavilion, Brighton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Pavilion), which may be too ostentatious, and also the plans of the parts of Beaulieu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaulieu,_Hampshire) that are open to the public.
The main charities that manage historic houses in England are the National Trust (which probably has more of what you are looking for) and English Heritage (which also manages castles, monuments etc.). There is also the Historic Houses Association.
Tundra
July 23rd, 2009, 08:20 PM
Do they include the servant's quarters? Or does it just have like, "Dining Room "Restricted staff Area" "Gift Shop" etc... I need the plans as how they were at the time, and usually the servant's quarters are the first things to be turned into offices and gift shops.
However, I'd love some scannages. :) Yeah, Royal Pavillion is way too ostentatious.
Serafina
July 23rd, 2009, 08:46 PM
I know that Standen has some of the Servant's quarters on display, though others have been converted. I have the Down House book next to me, and some say 'Ticket room' etc. and upstairs has all been converted into exhibition rooms about the work of Darwin, but they do seem to be in their original positions and original sizes. A good place for servants' quarters is Lanhydrock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanhydrock) - I've been there but I'm not sure if we have a guidebook.
Tundra
July 23rd, 2009, 08:52 PM
Though I should say that I can usually guess what the servants quarters (and other rooms now used for administration) were, as long as it's marked on the map in terms of walls! Some I've seen are just a big blank 'private' area on the map. Very annoying.
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