Knole exteriors

One of the easily missed features of Knole is the decorative leadwork. Each of the downpipes start with a different header. The images show two of these dated 1605 and 1607.

At that date, lead sheet was produced by sand casting. Decorative pieces like the drainpipes and gutter headers at Knole were either directly cast from moulds produced from wooden templates, or were beaten from flat sheets over a wooden former.

The finished articles were often finished by painting in bright colours or were gilded or tinned to provide an attractive finish.

The TD may refer to Thomas Sackville who had been created Earl of Dorset in 1604, and who was responsible for much of the fine wood and plasterwork throughout the house in a renovation between 1603 and his death in 1608.