Drayton
Hall - Table of Contents
First
floor interior photos - Drayton Hall
Charleston
SC
Drayton
Hall - Official Website
On this page below:
Stair Hall  Stair Hall Source: Mouldings One (online November 2024 See also: American Staircases
"The monumental two-story Stair Hall, with 27-foot ceilings, served as both a stairway and an entry, where guests were greeted. The crafted mahogany wainscot, balusters, handrails, and brackets featuring lotus and squash blossoms, were originally stained a bright red-orange vermillion and varnished to a glossy finish, but today show their age..." - National Register #66000701(1966); Ashley River Historic District National Register #930015143 (1993)  Stair Hall  Stair Hall Doorway surround: Entablature: Modillions with acanthus leaves above egg-and-dart Fluted Corinthian pilasters  Stair Hall Grape leaves decorating two panels  Stair Hall Grand staircase, right side Fully paneled richly-carved double staircase  Stair Hall Grand staircase, left side  Stair Hall Grand staircase, left side  Stair Hall Grand staircase, left side Stair-ends: S-scrolls, rosettes, flower  Stair Hall Grand staircase, left side Replacement newel post |
Great Hall Pine paneling, painted a seafoam green with delicate carvings, elegant mantelpieces, and classical cornices.  First floor centrally located Great Hall - (29ft. x 24ft.) "The present ceiling in the great hall is believed to be its third, probably installed in the 1860's ... Its ceiling is comprised of a flat field of lime-gypsum plaster decorated with applied cast gypsum plaster relief. This ornamentation includes a large central medallion of stylized local vegetation as well as a perimeter border of stars and small roundels located at the corners and midpoints of the room." - Center for Architectural Conservation (online November 2024) Pine paneling from floor to ceiling throughout the house  Great Hall Large central medallion of stylized local vegetation as well as a perimeter border of stars and small roundels located at the corners and midpoints of the room  Great Hall Perimeter border of stars and small roundels (circular medallions) located at the corners and midpoints of the room  Great Hall Applied cast gypsum plaster relief  Great Hall Applied cast gypsum plaster relief Center: Tobacco leaves in the middle of vines and rosettes  Great Hall Top: mutules and flowers Below: Egg-and-dart molding Sunflowers, triglyphs, and stylized flower Bottom: Drops below triglyphs  Great Hall Top: Egg-and-dart molding above sunflowers, triglyphs and drops, and stylized flowers Mantelpiece Overmantel: Undecorated raised panel within a bolection moulding with egg-and-dart is framed by decorated pilasters and a broken triangular pediment with animal keystone flanked by cornucopia above acanthus leaves and bellflowers Fireplace: Entablature above Fluted Doric pilasters and entablature Frieze is in bad condition Marble hearth  Great Hall Top: Egg-and-dart molding above sunflowers, triglyphs and drops, and stylized flowers Pilasters decorated with guilloche, shells and rosettes Undecorated raised panel within a bolection moulding with egg-and-dart  Great Hall Festoons |
Upper Great Hall / Great Drawing Room "The
floor plan of the second floor repeats that of the floor
below, centered around the Upper Great Hall, the most
important of Drayton Hall's public spaces reserved for
parties, dances, and musical entertainments. It features
same footprint as Great Hall on the first floor, but its
ceilings are two feet higher and its decoration of the Corinthian
order.
 Upper Great Hall The original marble mantle is surmounted with a late 19th century painting of the Drayton family coat of arms, including the family motto, 'Hac Iter Ad Astra,' which translates from Latin to "This, the way to the stars"  Upper Great Hall  Upper Great Hall Georgian mantelpiece  Upper Great Hall  Upper Great Hall  Upper Great Hall  Upper Great Hall |
Withdrawing (Drawing) Room
John
Drayton’s guests would have retired to the first-floor
withdrawing room for conversation, games and other social
interaction. The ornate ceiling is the only one in the
house that is original to the time of construction and
considered the oldest hand-carved plaster ceiling in North
America.
  Withdrawing
Room
 Withdrawing
Room
Modillions
and egg-and-dart
under soffit
Wall at left features swan's
neck broken pediment with decorative rosettes
 Withdrawing
Room
Missing door in front of English bond brick pattern Doorway never had an opening Doorway and window surrounds: Entablature supported by fluted Corinthian pilasters Carved mahogany swags over window Wainscoting  Withdrawing
Room
Missing door in front of English bond brick pattern Doorway never had an opening Doorway and window surrounds: Entablature supported by fluted Corinthian pilasters  Withdrawing
Room
Doorway and window surrounds: Entablature supported by fluted Corinthian pilasters 6-panel door Withdrawing
Room
Doorway and window surrounds: Entablature: Modillions with acanthus leaves above egg-and-dart Fluted Corinthian pilasters Behind doorway in adjoining room: Egg-and-dart above alternating rosettes and triglyphs |
Dining Room  Dining Room Overmantel Firebox opening trimmed with narrow white marble surround  Dining Room Overmantel Swan's neck pediment decorated with rosettes Fluted engaged colonnettes  Dining Room Fireplace Frieze rosettes flank center panel with three draped women and a cherub(?) Fluted engaged flanking columns White cracked marble hearth  Dining Room Fireplace Top beads Two separated rows of guilloches Center frieze which has beads on three sides Leaf-and- dart between panel and guilloches  Dining Room Mantel decorated with beads and guilloches Acanthus leaves molding Acanthus leaves on capital of fluted engaged columns  Dining Room White cracked marble hearth Dark-stained pine floors |
 Library Overmantel: Broken pediment decorated with dentil molding; single undecorated raised wood panel within a bolection with crossettes at the top corners over rosettes  Library 
|
Chamber  Chamber Georgian mantelpiece  Chamber Overmantel: Broken triangular pediment with center shell and egg-and-dart decoration Undecorated raised panel within an eared bolection moulding |
Windows  Shutters folded against inside wall Dark stained pine floor  Hidden storage panel under window seat   Missing door in front of English bond brick pattern Doorway never had an opening 
Dark stained pine floor |
Cellar/Basement  The basement was used a kitchen office, storage space, and servant's hall  Heavy wood beam forms the lintel English bond brick pattern  Original 6-panel door |
