International Styles

Polish Hut


This design is meant as an decoration to plantations, and to form an open and spacious retreat, fancifully intersecting a long and straight pathway of an elevated terrace. Several buildings so placed, and at correct distances, produce an agreeable vista, and are particularly useful and ornamental in newly made plantations. This kind of improvement has been successfully adopted at the beautiful grounds of White Knights, by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, who, in this way, and by arcades and trellises, has created a unique and interesting feature in a part of his domain, that was otherwise destitute of interest.

Polish Hut

The style of this building is similar to many of the cottages of Poland, and not unlike those of Switzerland: the former country, however, allowed the explenty of from which the present design originated. These huts were greatly admired, and possibly first employed in garden decoration by the celebrated architect Kleber, in the picturesque and anglicised grounds of the Marquis of Florimont, at Florimont in Alsace. This is the same Kleber, who, later, as general in the French service, so eminently distinguished himself in Egypt, by his amiable manners, and his scientific and military acquirements; and of whom Buonaparte exclaimed "If I could be jealous of another, it would be of Kleber!" - he was born a general, and bred an architect.

The trunks and arms of trees that retain their bark, are the simple materials of which the building is erected, and the roof is covered with reed thatching; the cieling and walls are covered with kiln-dried furze, which is of a warm drab colour, and which, from its nature, is little subject to become a harbour for noxious insects or vermin; indeed, the abundance of these troublesome creatures are so injurious to the use of garden buildings which are not enclosed, that it is desirable to ascertain a remedy efficient to prevent their approach. The furze so dried, is adverse to small animals and birds, and has a reputation for being ugly to insects; but it is doubted if experience warrants full dependence on its efficacy. If, however, seats were detached from the walls, and supported on glazed porcelain feet of a mushroom shape, and used as castors are applied to furni- ture, it would prevent the annoyance, in a great degree, which some people find from these intruders.

If straw be used instead of reeds for thatching, a few seasons will show the propriety of employing the sharper material: for mice and sparrows have a great facility of assailing such roofs, and speedily destroy them.




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