The
Brown Room
The
Brown Room is one of the finest 17th century interiors surviving at
Tredegar House. One of the state rooms on the ground floor of the house,
it was designed to impress visitors to the house, and display the Morgan
family's wealth, and also to ahow how fashionable and cultured they
were.
It is furnished entirely in 17th oak, which is exquisitely carved. Unfortunately,
it is not known who carried out the work, but it is probable that it
was done by itinerant craftsman, or 'artisan mannerists'. These were
builders and masons that were knowledgeable of the latest techniques
ad fashions, and were experienced enough to organise large projects.
The floor in the room is 17th century oak, and is made from single planks,
that are 42 feet in length!! Each floorboard is held down with brass
screws that are hidden by diamond shaped 'lozenges'
Around the top of the panels, again carved in oak, are stylized busts
of the Emperors of Rome. The middle section of the wall features scrolled
acanthus leaves and half-human, half-animal grotesque heads. Above the
large fireplace is a huge Morgan family coat of arms. The room was originally
used as the main state dining room for the house, and so would have
played host to the most important visitors to the house. They must have
been impressed!
