These bold architecturally inspired hall benches originally formed part of the furnishings of one of the finest Palladian house in England. Mereworth Castle was built around 1720-23 by Colen Campbell for John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland - an almost exact copy of Palladio’s famed Villa Capra “La Rotonda” at Vicenza, Italy. Mereworth Castle is the earliest of a related group of villas sensitively mirroring Palladio's original along with Chiswick House, Middlesex (built 1729), Foot’s Cray Place, Kent (built 1754 – demolished 1949), and Nuthall Temple, Nottinghamshire (built 1757 – demolished 1929).

The benches formed part of a suite of furniture, including marble-topped tables, of gently curving outline designed to enhance the sublime beauty of the circular Entrance Hall where they were photographed (reproduced here). The simple Virtuvian scrolled friezes found on this group are designed to compliment the strong architectural features of the house.