Legend has it that the opulent former officers' dining room owes its grandeur to the slip of a clerk's pen in 1869.The Mountbatten Room
A room of exquisite detail which, if old rumours are true, came into existence because of a simple error...
Legend has it that the opulent former officers' dining room owes its grandeur to the slip of a clerk's pen in 1869.
Allegedly, the mistaken addition of an extra nought to the original budget made possible the extravagant expense of intricate gold leaf ceilings, splendid Italian marble fireplaces and massively complex chandeliers which are still present today.
The paintings in this Mess Room are of considerable interest. The painting of Queen Victoria is a copy from the original by H. von Angeli by Hubert Herkomer, purchased by the Mess in 1886. The inscription denoting "a copy" was added by order of the Queen because when the copy was shown at the Royal Academy critics pronounced it a better painting than the original held by the Queen.
The room has been restored to its former glory and now houses treasure and memorabilia drawn from the life and times of the Royal Marines; their buttons and badges; patriotic swords; and trophies.
The full-dress uniform of the Life Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines' Lord Louis Mountbatten is displayed amongst the poignant details of his life and descriptions of the part he played in the history of the Corps.