66 TUDOR HOUSES IN DORSET. 



After the hall fell into disuse, bedrooms were often con- 

 structed in the upper portion, as at Winterborne Tomson. 



GALLERY. 



In Elizabethan houses there were also on the first floor the 

 Great Chamber of State and Long Gallery, the latter a 

 characteristic feature which first came into fashion in 1540. 

 As this room was lighted all down one side, as well as at one 

 or both ends, it must have been extremely draughty and cold in 

 winter, and only suitable then for walking exercise. 



CEILINGS. 



These were unknown until late in the fifteenth century. 

 Before then the under side of the upper floors was divided 

 into large deeply-recessed squares by heavily moulded beams. 



At Sherborne Abbey is a good timber one divided into such 

 squares with flowers carved at the intersection (Parker 172). 



South Eggerdon, a sixteenth century house, has massive oak 

 beams with good mouldings (Hutcliins 1 1. 175). So has Barneston 

 (Ibid. I, 581). 



After the great hall with its open timber roof became out of 

 date, all the principal chambers were ceiled, and the plasterer 

 executed most varied designs in geometric or flowing patterns, 

 with pendants and ribs, figures, animals and birds. 



Herringston has a notable coved plaster ceiling (Golch, 193). 



At Wolfeton the long parlour on the first floor, now divided 

 into four bedrooms, had formerly a lofty coved ceiling of 

 which three pendants remain (Ibid. 195). The present drawing- 

 rooms on the ground floor have the usual Jacobean flat type. 



At Winterborne Clenston and Tomson are also good 

 examples, the former distinctly Renaissance. 



Toller Fratrum has a good circular ceiling on the upper floor. 



