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   Elizabethan Architecture, although no longer a national style, has many
admirers, even among those who possess an accurate knowledge and apprecia-
tion of art.   It is a style in  which   Italian ornaments and characters
are
blended with the forms peculiar to the English mansions of preceding ages.
But few novelties were absolutely introduced in the internal decoration of
houses in the reign of Elizabeth, if we except that of making the staircase,
which had been built in forriher reigns in small towers, a prominent feature.
The description which is given of this part of Wimbledon house by an ancient
author, is very characteristic of the general style. "The east stairs
lead from
the marble parlour to the great "gallery and the dining-room, and are
richly
adorned with wainscot of oak round the outsides thereof, all well gilt with
fillets and stars of gold.  The steps of these stairs, are in number thirty-
three, and are six feet six inches long, adorned with five foot-paces, all
varnished black and white and chequer work, the highest of which foot-pace
is a very large one, and benched with a wainscot bench all garnished with
gold. Under the stairs, and eight steps above the said marble parlour, is
a
little complete room, called the den of lions, floored with painted deal
chequer
work. This room is painted round with lions and leopards, and is a good
ornament to the stairs and marble parlour, severed therefrom with railed
doors."   The handrails and balusters of these staircases, were made
very
massive and bold, but were always pleasing.         The carved   newells
  often
carried the family crest, a scroll, or some other device. In Plate I., we
have
given a design of the entrance hall and staircase of a mansion in the Eliza-
bethan style, which will be found to possess all the characteristics of this
noble architecture.   The staircases of the present day, even in large houses,
give the idea of penuriousness, and sometimes of insecurity.     They seem
  to
be arrangements which are absolutely necessary, because there is a floor
above, but so undesirable in every other respect, that the architect was
anxious
to prevent the attention being drawn towards them, and would have placed
them altogether out of sight if it had been possible. The Elizabethan stair-
case, on the other hand, is wide, massive, and imposing, giving at once an
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