This dramatic Ancaster limestone fireplace displays many characteristics of the classical revivalist style of the English Regency. The gently arched shelf is flanked by acroterium above gently tapering jambs, in the form of an ancient entrance. Thomas Hope (1769–1831) became the leading exponent of the Egyptian taste when he published his designs, Household Furniture & Designs (1807) which cast considerable influence on early 19th Century furniture and interior decorations.