The Breakfast Room was originally used as the main dining room in the mansion built in 1720. Circa 1814, the architect, Jeffry Wyatt designed a new, large Dining Room, projecting east of the Hall. The old Dining Room then became known as the Breakfast Room, and remained so until Viscount Allendale sold Bretton Hall in 1948.
The two most striking features of the Breakfast Room are the coved, delicately ornamented ceiling and the room’s decoration, both of which are characteristic of the Adam style, first introduced to Yorkshire at Harewood House. The colour scheme is in subdued greens, cream and white, and the delicate colours help to draw attention to the fine mahogany doors and enhance the effect of the grisaille paintings in the oval wall panels. Unfortunately, the centrepiece of the west wall is an unhappy, out-of-place 20th century fireplace.
One of the existing 1930s photographs shows a characteristic Regency fireplace, said to have been inserted (c.1815) by Jeffry Wyatt during his alterations and additions. When Bretton was sold to the West Riding County Council, this fireplace was one of those that were transferred to Lord Allendale’s other home at Bywell Hall, Northumberland.
Click on photos to view enlargements.
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Photographs by Tony Rigby, January 2015