Part Two of the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg

Welcome back to the Governor's Palace!         

      This is a back view of the palace from the gardens.      

   The King's Coat of Arms above.     

   Today, we're returning to the first floor to finish our tour of the house there.  This is the Dining Room.  How about this rug?  It looks more masculine that the others, but I still like it.  The compass rose in the center is awesome -- such a unique design for a rug.  Since this is the Dining Room, one would expect to see a larger table for dining, don't you think?  According to the official website, once the Ballroom and Supper Room were added to the house, the Dining Room was used mainly for visitors to meet with the governor.  By the mid-18th century, it had become the principle room for citizens to have an audience with the governor.   

  I don't know if there is anyone living who can do millwork like this anymore.  The wood on either side of the fireplace is carved to look like fluted columns.     

         According to information I read online, this very desk, shown in the background, was used in the palace before the American Revolution.  Love the quill pen and the silver candlestick.       

   

      Pretty crystal, claret glasses.            

   This room was the Pantry.  It provided the butler or housekeeper with a strategic room for staff supervision and a secure place to store valuables.    

   

  I only have the one picture of this room, the Study/Dressing Room.  This room was possibly used as both a library and a dressing room by Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor.  I love the colors in this room, and here is yet another beautiful carpet.    

   Now we're in the Ballroom.  There are so many ornamental touches and architectural bits to notice in this room.  I thought these chandeliers were lovely, and notice the ornate molding around the ceiling, as well as around the door.  I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this whole room, but it was hard to do that with all the people in there at the time.  The room is long and rectangular in shape, with seating along the wall, and a harpsichord for music.  The two portraits on either side of the door above are of Queen Charlotte and King George III.  You'll see the full portraits further on in the post.  

   A closer look at the coat of arms and beautiful molding.   

   Here we see a portrait of King Charles II, sometimes referred to as the "Cavalier King Charles."  

   This is the full portrait of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of King George III.  The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, located in the county of Mecklenburg, was named after her.  Do we know how to curry favor around here, or what?  😎   

   The gold gilt border that you see here,   

   and here, and all throughout the room is made of paper mache covered with 24 karat gold.  I'll point out now that I LOVE this wall color.  I'm sure it would overwhelm in our house, but it certainly was pretty here.   

   I think this rug may well be my favorite one in the whole house.  Such rich colors!   

   

      This is the portrait of His Majesty, King George, III, on the throne during the American Revolution.  That is one ginormous picture -- I'd hate for it to fall on me.  😜   

   Above you see the royal cypher (similar to a monogram) of George, III -- G R, stands for George Rex.  Rex and Regina are Latin for king and queen.      

    Moving on to the last room on the tour, the Supper Room.  These walls are pretty, too, a lovely shade of green.  The beautiful millwork and the 24k gold gilt border continues in here.       

   Just look at the carved scrollwork around these windows!  We took more pictures in these last two rooms because they were just so spectacular.   

   

   This is a 1782 chamber organ from England.  I thought those were real brass organ pipes, but they're gilded wood, faux pipes.  You can read more about this instrument here.    

       These plates are decorated with Lord Dunmore's (Virginia Royal Governor) coat of arms.            

     This is a cast-iron stove, or warming machine, from London, England.     

    There was one of these in the Ballroom, as well.     

        That finishes our tour of the inside of the palace.  Apparently, the residence of the Royal Governor of the colony of Virginia seemed so excessively extravagant to the colonists, they nicknamed it the "Governor's Palace."  Though this palace/residence was certainly grand and ornate by my standards, it was relatively small by aristocratic British standards.  I guess it's all relative.  😉       

   I thoroughly enjoyed this tour of the Governor's Palace and gardens and am glad we were allowed to take pictures inside.          

         "I am not a Virginian, but an American." ~ Patrick Henry   Speech in the First Continental Congress, Philadelphia, October 14, 1774      "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" ~ Patrick Henry   Speech to the Virginia Convention at St. John's Church, Richmond, Virginia,  March 25, 1775          "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." ~ Thomas Jefferson  Summary View of the Rights of British America, 1774                 Thank so much for stopping by -- I appreciate your visits so much!  Have a wonderful week!