The Salon in Somerset House

This building and specifically this room is a hidden jewel - no photograph can do it justice.  I seriously recommend that given a chance to visit you do so.  Visits are possible during "Heritage Open Days"   (http://www.heritageopendays.org/) and also some "Architecture Days" (always check for yourself when it's open), I was fortunately given access by The Regeneration Section of Calderdale Council (many thanks) and managed to snap a few good photographs.

Somerset House is a Grade II listed Georgian Mansion attributed to John Carr of York in about 1766, with a substantial frontage to George Street and an imposing facade on Rawson Street.  The mansion was originally known as Royds' House or Royds' Mansion having been owned by John Royds, a merchant banker and trader who was born in Soyland.  It's hard to conceive that it originally had maintained grounds stretching as far as Powell Street and The Victoria Theatre.

John Royds financed many of the local clothiers and merchants who would bring cloths and yarns from hillside cottages and store them in the mansion warehouse.  John Royds died in 1781 and members of his family left Halifax for London and Bath.  The Rawson family established their banking business at Royds' House in 1811.  The merger of their Halifax and Huddersfield branches saw Rawson's Bank turn into "The Halifax and Huddersfield Union Bank" known as The Union Bank.

The fireplace depicting Britannia

The wide angle photo may look a little odd as I've had to correct the distortion from the wide angle lens.

The Rococo plasterwork stands proud of the walls, almost like a stone freize  Royds had commissioned the Italian, Guiseppe Cortese to carve the plasterwork. The commission took ten years to complete at a cost of ?2000 (this is roughly equivalent to ?170/180,000 in today's money).   It's impressive for its completeness and sheer quantity.  Above the fireplace we see Britannia (ruling the waves).  The scene on the ceiling has Neptune mounted in a chariot being pulled by 4 horses and surrounded by flying cherubs (forgive the crude, amateurish description ... I promise I will get a professional description at some point)..  Even I know it's Neptune - the trident sort of gives it away.

Everything about this room is like stepping back in time - from the hidden door in the west wall, to the fireplace and the ornate decorations above the main door into the room.  The floor boards have that unmistakable creak and had the room not been South facing with so much light I'm sure it would be a lot more creepy.