Guide to the Palace of Westminster . ding,to those times of feudal magnificence in the style of which both thenew as well as the old Palace at Westminster has been conceived, andwhich may now be denominated our National style of Architecture.] Page Sixty-eight. Leaving these rooms, we pass a small Staircase which givesaccess for the Members to *THE SMOKING ROOMS. Not open to the Public. [A luxury provided for the first time in the new Palace; these arefitted up with strict relation to their peculiar use, with floor of encaustictiles of varied colour and design; the walls for six feet high from
Guide to the Palace of Westminster . ding,to those times of feudal magnificence in the style of which both thenew as well as the old Palace at Westminster has been conceived, andwhich may now be denominated our National style of Architecture.] Page Sixty-eight. Leaving these rooms, we pass a small Staircase which givesaccess for the Members to *THE SMOKING ROOMS. Not open to the Public. [A luxury provided for the first time in the new Palace; these arefitted up with strict relation to their peculiar use, with floor of encaustictiles of varied colour and design; the walls for six feet high from thefloor are also lined with coloured China slabs; clustered stone pillarssupport the roof, which is formed of hard polished cement, and all isdone to avoid materials which absorb the smell of smoke, and >etto render the rooms a cheerful and comfortable retiring place. Therooms immediately adjoin the magnificent river Terrace, so that a quietcool promenade is thus available during the heat of a summer session.] ST STEPHENS Leaving the Central Hallthrough an arched doorway onthe west side, we enter Hall, which occupiesthe site, and is of the samedimensions as the old Chapel, the history ofwhich has been strange indeed. y It was founded by King Edward Jlrms of Scotland. I. as the Chapel Royal of the Palace, and was almost rebuilt, with great magnificence, byEdward II. and Edward III. in the rich architecture of theirperiod. It was nearly contemporary with the beautiful Sainte Chap-pelle of Paris, and the arrangement of these two buildings, theiruse, and the style of their architecture, were curiously parallel;both were originally built for Chapels Royal, each was attachedto the Palace of the Sovereign, both were built over crypts orlower chapels, both have been desecrated—our St. Stephenshaving been appropriated to the use of the House of Commonsfor its sessions from the time of Edward VI., while the FrenchSainte Chappelle was long used as a d
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidguidetopalac, bookyear1911