REPTON, Humphry. "RED BOOK" for "Gaines-Hall in Huntingtonsre: a Seat of James Duberley Esqr." 1798.
REPTON, Humphry. "RED BOOK" for "Gaines-Hall in Huntingtonsre: a Seat of James Duberley Esqr." 1798.

细节
REPTON, Humphry. "RED BOOK" for "Gaines-Hall in Huntingtonsre: a Seat of James Duberley Esqr." 1798.

Oblong 4o (210 x 285 mm). Autograph manuscript on paper comprising title and 14 pages text; the introduction signed with an autograph inscription "First visit at Gaines Hall April 27 1790. Plan designed at Hare Street by Repton June 1790"; AND 10 WATERCOLOR ILLUSTRATIONS BY REPTON, AND THREE PLANS BY ANOTHER HAND, one folding, one double-page and 6 with overslips. (Some occasional soiling, one overslip with old tear reinforced on verso.) Contemporary calf gilt, contemporary manuscript title on front cover (front cover detached, rubbed and worn), the author's trade card engraved by T. Medland pasted on verso of front free endpaper; cloth folding case.

A very fine "Red Book" for James Dauberly's Gaines Hall in Huntingdonshire. Gaines Hall takes its name from the family of Engayne, the original feudal tenants, who built a moated house within the 300 acre park. This was replaced by a 17th-century house with outbuildings. The manor was purchased in 1797 by Sir James Duberly, who employed architect George Byfield to build him a new house of yellow brick in the fashionable regency style shortly before Repton's first visit. It remained in the family until 1946, when it was sold with all of its contents.

Repton's chief recommendations were for the creation of a new approach road through a park "for however interesting and profitable a Farm may be, it is not a proper object near such a Mansion as Gains [sic] Hall: and I have ever been of the opinion that a Gentleman's house and a farm house are and ought to be as different as a Gentleman and a Farmer." He also advised the erection of an entrance lodge, the removal of the piece of water in front of the house and the erection of an orangery to one side. He romanticized the old moats with trees and walks to the kitchen garden, as well as screening the outbuildings.

James Duberly and his descendants used the volume for their comments and statistics regarding the property, and the first eight pages have been annotated in various hands, commencing James Duberly's comment "No firs of any kind with this soil -- and should on no account be planted -- elms, oaks and thorns grow best." It appears that some but not all of Repton's recommendations were carried out, according to some of the annotations by the Duberly family.