The Garretts & Attic
The 1698 inventory provides reasonably clear information on the numbering of the 2nd floor rooms via compass directions. Garrets 4 and 5 on the south side were removed with the barrel vault insertion of the Library by James Wyatt in the 1770s. He also removed dormer windows.
Various illustrations of Belton prior to that are clear on the number of dormer windows - eight each side. Unclear are the number if any on the return walls north and south. Dormer windows are seen on the south return walls in c. 1720 , Harris's aerial view of c. 1750 and images of Clarence House, built in a similar style. No information exists for the north return walls. To find the detailed contents of the rooms consult the 'raw' inventories on the Belton floorplan page.
Based mainly on the 1698, inventory superimposed on a 2015 fire plan, red windows are those that might have existed prior to Wyatt's 1770s removal. The 1698 inventory order becomes ambiguous from the north east wing anti-clockwise. But the only garret described as having a closet within is that of Mrs Dawson's chamber (1688), 10th Garrett on the North east wing (1698) and No. 10 Mr Threeves Garrt. (1737).
The 1688 inventory only has 12 named garrets. It seems reasonable to associate the female servants together in the northeast wing.
The Garrett Gallery, relates to the west servant staircase. The gallery again mentioned in 1737 helps anchor No. 15 Mr Humphrey's Garrett. Hence, the 1737 inventory makes use of the earlier numbering of the rooms.
In the northwest garret the probably site of the linen and/or plate store. Its bell no longer answered
Comments on Garrets
No. 2 garret is for Mrs Orson the cook in 1737 and 1754. No. 9 Mr Doyles Garrat in the 1737 inventory has Two large black Leather Trunks for the Plate. Indicating that the plate was stored in a garret room. Nicholas Doyle was the Chief Butler to Viscount Tyrconnel. He served him for 25 years.
An Inventory Of all the Plate belonging to the Rt. Honble. Lord Tyrconnel at Belton in Lincolnshire that is in the care of Mr. Nicho. Doyle, his Lordships Butler, taken before the Revr. Mr Henry Gibert, Thomas Watson and Richd. Smith, Sept 21st 1737.
Garret 16 is no longer listed in 1737. It is hypothesised that it acted as an enlargement of the 1698 Plate Room for the large amount of silver listed under the butler's care. The plate room in the basement only came into being in C19 or even later.
By 1737 garrets 3 and 6 had been subdivided with the additional chamber being given the name of the adjacent space, Garrat next to Mrs Orson and Garrat next to the Maid's Garrat. These additions contained bedsteads. Only one part of the partitioned space was left with a fire. The garret maid was responsible for the garret rooms looking after Twenty one pewter Chamber Pots and 18 brass Candlesticks, possibly one candlestick per garret.
The named rooms for the 1688 inventory are more difficult to assign with any confidence. The Garrat over my Ladys Chamber was storing a huge quantity of textiles and included one Steynd callicoe quilt, Seaven and twentie pewter dishes, one Cullender, two bed panns, foure Close Stoole panns, one pewter plate for to lay cheese on...
The same applied in 1698, the 13 Garrett north side contained 4 bedd pans, 5 Close Stoole pans, 24 Chamber potts.
That the numbering changed over time is illustrated by the 1940 2nd floor plan. Note No. 7 Edward's Room (Edward Cust, 7th Baron Brownlow), when a 4-year-old.
A Third Floor
Unknown to most are windowless and fireless rooms clustered around the stairs to the cupola and roof. This forms a fourth floor or attic to the House.
Room 3 in the Cupola Chambers, leads to a windowless bedroom.
1688: In a Skylight Chamber four feather beds, fifteen blancketts, two yallow Ruggs, one oringe Rugg, one greene cloth Carpett, two under quilts, one Damaske Cushion, one pillowe, five Cushions more one of them blacke velvett, one Screene, one box of Drawers with a blacke frame, two french tables, 3 pikturs with Gilt frames, one pickture without a frame
But by 1698 there are no bedsteads, only lumber. The chambers are unmentioned in 1737.
The garret contents for all three inventories are summarised as a word cloud. The focus is on bedsteads and their mattresses - feather beds, and fires. Apparent is that tapestries weren't only for the master and mistress! Blue, green red and brown added colour to their working lives.
