Vesta

Vesta (or Hestia to the Greeks) is the classical goddess 

of hearth and home.

Although she was very rarely represented in figurative form, 

here she is carved into the arch over the main entrance 

at Eltham Palace

the lavish Art Deco house built by Stephen Courtauld 

on the site of the 14th century royal palace.

In ancient Greece the Hestian soul was put into the house 

in the most literal way.

When a young woman married and set up home

her mother would light a torch at her own household hearth 

and carry it before the bride and groom to their new house,

lighting their new fire with it.

A similar custom can be found in Russia, where the household

spirit of the hearth was known as a domovik.

If the family moved house, they would carry brands

from the old stove and light the stove in the new house from them.

She is a sociable goddess: she presided over the preparation of meals

and the first mouthful of the meal was always

consecrated to her. In Roman times, 'To Vesta' was a common grace.*

Eltham was self-consciously luxurious.

In winter the rooms were if anything regarded as too hot.

All the baths could be run at the same time if necessary

so that guests could dress for dinner in comfort.

Cecil Beaton wrote in Vogue in 1933:

'The clock strikes, and there is a cocktail to impregnate one

with energy enough to move from the depth of the sofa,

to climb the stairs, and then there is the

extravagance of soaking in a bath cloudy with salts.

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother paid a private visit 

while still duchess of York on 12th July 1936.

She commented that she thought the modern part

a little overdone - but it was all very interesting,

and 'my goodness what a good feed we had!

And good champagne!'

It was a 1923 Veuve Cliquot and the menu

consisted of:

Consommé Estragan

Lobster Cocktail

Veau à la Mode

Petits Pois

Pommes Nouvelle

Bombe Mexicaine

Fondata 

 Madeira 

 Armagnac.

Even if you visited at teatime (4.30)

you could expect to be well warmed and fortified.

Mollie Butler (1907-2009) who married a Courtauld cousin

recalled arriving one Friday in the late 1930s to have,

'an enormous tea, with muffins and crumpets and everything.

And Ginie always had a tiny little bottle of brandy

on the tea table which she put in people's tea.'

The secret to a long and merry life perhaps.

* Spirit of the Home by Jane Alexander.