Kingston Lacy was originally built in 1660, and remained in the Bankes family until 1981. Henry Bankes the Younger was the first of the Bankes's to transform the house. This was in the 1780s, so of interest to us. All that remains from that renovation are the Library and the saloon, with the chimney piece by Flaxman and the coved ceiling painted by Cornelius Dixon. He was the owner of the house during the Regency, but much of the changes he wrought were swept away by his second son William when he came into the title in 1834.

Here you have pictures of the library. Isn't that
a magnificent ceiling. I like the way the

portraits hang above the book shelves.

The furnishings are also beautiful and deserve a closer look.

And here is that deliciously coved Venetian Ceiling. There is much more to come about the house, but there is a person I wanted to tell you about also.

William Bankes (1786-1855) was fascinating to me, not because of what he did at the house, but because of what he was doing during the Regency. A friend of Byron and a disappointed suitor of Annabella Milbanke, this young man began traveling when he was 26 in 1812, remember the Peninsular war was still going on then. He traveled to Portugal and Spain where he spent his time acquiring paintings and visiting with gypsies. Though he did also visit Wellington's headquarters after the battle of Salamanca in July 1812.

He travelled in the east for eight years. We will talk about his travels there next time. And also continue our stroll around Kingston Lacy.

Until then Happy Rambles.