The Mansion House Exterior
The Mansion House has two principal storeys. As with all buildings of its period, the principal rooms are located not on the ground floor but on the first floor. Eighteenth century architects, following the Italian fashion, would have called this the 'piano nobile' or 'noble floor'. The higher status of the first floor is emphasised by its greater height, the tall central Venetian window, the three pairs of Corinthian columns and the decoration, consisting of carved heads and the garlands between them.
The building was originally topped by a giant triangular pediment. This was replaced in 1801 by the parapet designed by William Lindley which is still there to-day. The windows in the parapet, however, are 'blind' or false, as there are no rooms at this level on the front of the building. The original roof designed by Paine remains behind the parapet.
The stonework on the ground floor is carved in 'rustic' (or country) style, (Paine's published Plans refer to it as the 'Rustick Storey'), with each stone having sharply sloping edges. This was at the time a conventional means of showing its inferior status to the upper floor. The front door is deeply recessed, another borrowing by Paine from the designs of his famous predecessor, Inigo Jones.
