An estimate for the new addition was finalized in November at £10,450. Digging for the foundations began before the end of the month, when drawings 72 to 74 were made. Drawings 72 and 73 are drawings for the basement, drawing 73 being a copy of drawing 72 and with further specifications. Drawing 74 shows the ground floor and was probably made with drawing 71, having the same scale.

The basement floor has windows in all rooms (Bentley Priory was built on a hill sloping to the south). Two staircases descend to the basement, the north stair leading directly to the servants' hall and dressing room, and the south stair leading to three bedrooms beneath the drawing room. The long east-west corridor from the existing house continues into the new wing, reaching a window on the east wall. Half of the space beneath the tribune was previously filled in with earth (see drawing 16); this has been dug out for providing a corridor from the main passage to the north staircase.

The ground floor has wooden partitions and columns in the music room (shown in yellow wash). Soane has once again (as in drawing 68) included plantings on the ground plan, intending to mask the projecting east range from the north.

Group

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