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Variant elevations for the front (not as executed), 26 May 1792, (4)

Notes

Drawings 14 and 15 vary only in some details so that, for example, the pilasters fronting the windows in drawing 14 all have Ionic capitals while on drawing 15 the outer pilasters are treated as antae. Drawing 17 is less finished than drawing 16 but has more information including a section through 'the new floors'. Again, drawings 16 and 17 are very close though drawing 16 has more details for the front door while drawing 17 has more details for the first floor centre window, and also has a section through 'the new floors'. Drawings 15 and 17 lack the carefully shaded dentil course of drawings 14 and 16.

Soane's designs are both for a three-bay, three-storey front with a large round-arched window over the entrance (adapted from his 1785 design for the east elevation, drawing 12). Both have a similar treatment of the windows to the first and second floors, but the 'No1' design (drawings 14-15) has a more elaborate and expensive arrangement with three Ionic 'porticoes', that define the entrance and the large window to each side. The simplified entablature over these porticoes carry a continuous balustrade, and there is a niche between each window and the door. Drawings 16 and 17 offer a contrasting design in which the ground floor is stripped of ornament, the two windows and door are round-arched openings with a single, slender round-arched member that was presumably to be supplemented by glazing bars; the door is shown as panelled in drawing 16.

Neither elevation was executed though the second (drawings 16-17) is closest to the built design. For the front of Piercefield, Soane re-used his design for the front elevation of Shottesham, 1785-90 (q.v.). While Shottesham was built of Norfolk bricks, the old masonry of Piercefield was clad with new and, for example, there is no pediment above the top floor and the Ionic pilasters have necking which was omitted at Shottesham.

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Contents of Variant elevations for the front (not as executed), 26 May 1792, (4)