THE BANQUETING HOUSE AT WHITEHALL 



: 



FIG. 22. The Banqueting House, Whitehall, 1619-22. 



position it held all through the century, and indeed still holds in the 

 opinion of many competent judges. At the time it was built it was 

 unique, and for thirty years afterwards travellers might have searched 

 England in vain for anything so thoroughly Italian in treatment, unless 

 they happened to see the Queen's House at Greenwich, or one or two 

 other buildings by the same architect, such as Sherborne, in Gloucester- 

 shire, between Northleach and Burford, which was described in 1634 

 as a " stately, rich, compacted Building all of Free-stone, flat, and 

 couer'd with Lead, with Strong Battlements about, not much unlike 

 to that goodly, and magnificent Building the Banquetting House 

 at Whitehall." 1 



1 "A Relation of a Short Survey of 26 Counties observed in a seven weekes 

 Journey begun on August n, 1634, by a Captain, a Lieutenant, and an Ancient? 



