It’s only when you start getting involved with the historic side of heritage houses that you really appreciate the great architects of the day.  I have connections with one such place not far from my home.  I live in an area very rich with family owned historic properties – several are owned by the same families that had them built or were awarded them for favours given during the English civil war etc.  The house I’m attached to isn’t that old, only 300 or so years infact.  However it does offer very good examples of revolutionary building techniques and the newly opened facility under the house, in fact in the basement, shows the state of the house when it was taken over in the late 1990s.  The Steward’s pantry where the bootboy worked and the footmen has a nifty central pillar, up to the ceiling, with work stations positioned around its base.  Very space saving and economical on work top.