WEST. FIELD, 



THE SEAT OF VICE-ADMIRAL SIR AUGUSTUS CLIFFORD, BART. 



VVESTFIELD HOUSE was built by the late Earl Spencer, in 1810, who bequeathed it to his second 



son, the present Earl, who, in 1839, parted with it to Mr Thistlethwaite, of Southwick Park, Hants; 



he sold it in 1843 to the present possessor, Vice- Admiral Sir Augustus Clifford, Bart., who, in 1845, 



commenced laying out the Garden in its present form, and made considerable alterations and additions 



to the House, having built a new Dining-room, Library, and Staircase. The grounds of Westfield are 



divided in three parts, an upper lawn surrounds the House on the north and west sides. In front of 



the new Library, the lawn is divided by a gravel walk, at the end of which is placed, under a Temple 



of the Ionic order, a statue of Mercury and Pandora, by Lough; and on the sides are handsome marble 



vases, and a statue of the Crouching Venus. In front of the House stand the Apollo Belvidere and the 



Diana a la Biche, by the side of a bastion which commands a beautiful view, ranging from Cowes 



Point up the Southampton water, and over the Solent Sea to Spithead, as far as Chichester Cathedral. 



Below this is an Ornamental Flower Garden, enclosed by balustrades, with ball and vases on the piers. 



On each side are the Dansatrice of Canova, and in the centre a beautiful Bacchante, by Angelo Bienaimee, 



with the following lines from Apulieus, inscribed on the pedestal — 



"To the sweet musick of Apollo's lyre 

 Venus danced with graceful steps ;" 



and in the recess under the bastion sits a bronze statue of the Nymph at the Fountain, by Geiss of 

 Berlin. 



The next division, which was formed out of the orchard, planted with shrubs, and enclosed by 

 balustrades, connects the upper and lower gardens, and is decorated with the Four Seasons, in marble, 

 as well as Paris, Adonis, Minerva, made by Angelo Bienaimei, at Carrara, expressly for this Garden, 

 which was commenced in 1845, and is now nearly complete. 



The straight walk from the Bastion leads to the Lower Terrace, by the sea, which is 430 feet long, 

 with a Pavilion at each end, and a seat, copied from those at Pompeii, in front, looking towards Osborne, 

 Stokes Bay, Anglesea Villas, and the opposite Coast. 



Subjoined is an account taken from the 'Isle of Wight Observer'—- 



THE WESTFIELD GALLERY. 



(From the ' Isle of Wight Observer.') 



In the account of the Isle of Wight Horticultural Show, held in the grounds of Sir Augustus 

 Clifford, Bart., at Westfield, which we gave a few weeks ago, a passing allusion was made to the new 

 Gallery of Art recently erected at that marine residence. Since that account appeared, Sir Augustus has 

 kindly shown us the Gallery and its contents, a short description of which may, perhaps, be very 

 interesting to our readers. 



The Gallery is built at the south-west portion of the residence, overlooking a beautiful lawn studded 

 with fine specimens of sculpture, with a background of luxuriant foliage. The interior is finished with 

 Corinthian pilasters, supporting an enriched cornice from which springs a segmental ceiling, divided into 

 compartments (corresponding with the divisions formed by the pilasters) and these are again subdivided 

 by enriched coffered pannels, supporting a skylight, through which the principal light to the Gallery is 

 admitted. The glass in the skylight is of ornamental design, and emblematical of Art, Literature, and 

 Music, and has a very pleasing effect. The room, from the variety in the plan, has a striking and 

 unusual character, which is much enhanced by the semicircular tribune, with the Apollo Belvidere, at the 

 south end, over which is a medallion of Sir Augustus, faithfully and excellently executed by Mr Gray, 

 the sculptor, of Ryde ; and the anteroom, with the Apollino, at the north end. This latter portion 

 receives its light through a skylight of ornamental glass resembling the signs of the zodiac. The 

 decorations of the room are very effective ; the walls being hung with a deep blue paper, diapered with black, 

 divided by large gold moulding of the cable pattern into pannels, with stiles formed of a gold-coloured 

 paper. The paper is _ continued round the whole of the tribune and in the anteroom. The ceiling is 

 in grey and white, relieved by gilding. 



The whole Gallery, with its beautiful variety of works of art, consisting of pictures, statues, vases, 

 bronzes, with the elegant mahogany bookcases, form a completeness indicative of the most refined taste; 



at the same time utility has not been sacrificed, as we have never been in any gallery — large or small 



where the light is so well diffused over the objects as in this. 



The designs were by Mr Thomas Hellyer, architect of Melville street, Ryde, and the building and 

 all its architectural decorations were completed by Messrs Dashwood, of Ryde, to all of whom the 

 greatest credit is due for the masterly manner in which it is carried out. 



