| This painting of Belhus is
on display in the gallery on the first floor
of the museum. It provides a
view of Belhus at the beginning of the 18th
century. The Tudor mansion shown here was built
by John Barrett who died in 1526. The house was
later re-modelled by the 17th Lord Dacre,
influenced by the gothic style, fashionable in
the late 18th century. The painting also shows
the formal gardens, close to the house with a
wilderness area and deer park beyond. The grounds
were subsequently landscaped by Capability Brown
between 1752 and 1763. The name, Belhus, came from the name
of the manor, which in turn was derived from the
Belhus family who originated in Ramsden Bellhouse.
This style of landscape
painting was introduced into England in the late
17th century by artists from the Netherlands such
as Jan Siberechts. Paintings in this style
rapidly became popular with the landed gentry.
The artist who painted this work is unknown, but
it is stylistically similar to paintings by
Siberechts.
The contents of the house (including
this painting) were sold at an eight day sale in
1923. The picture was listed as Lot 990 in the 'Belhus' sale catalogue for May 15th 1923 where it is described as 'Large view of the Mansion and Gardens of Belhus as it existed c. 1710 with extensive landscape background. Painter unknown'. It is not known if it was sold at that time, but likely not and probably remained in the house.
The house was demolished in 1957,
although some of the foundations can still be
seen on a golf course that was built on part of
the park. Some of the original interior woodwork
can be seen at Thurrock museum and others at
Valence House, Dagenham. Some recently
rediscovered heraldic glass is described in
Panorama 36.
|

Belhus House and Park around
1710 after Jan Siberechts
|