This is the largest of the principal rooms, quite happily accommodating about 200 people seated. As well as the ceiling, the walls of the Eating Parlour also show Adam decorations. The room itself was formed from four smaller rooms, two from the floor above, where there are blocked windows visible on the S front of the house.

Detail of the plasterwork on the wall of the Great Room. The current colour scheme does not accord with Adam's original designs, which specified rather more green and cream than survives. The school uses the Ballroom for prayers every morning (Headfort was built without a chapel), plays, concerts and recitals from visiting musicians

The extra space thus created was used to form a high coved ceiling with three square centre panels. There are also paired chimney pieces sculpted in white marble. As you will have gathered, quite a lot of Adam's intentions for the house were frustrated but in the Ballroom there are some wall decorations in the form of foliage, vases and ornamental urns. The room is finely proportioned (a double cube) and easy on the eye. It contains a littleof the original furniture - tables and mirrors. The vast majority of the Headfort family portraits are still in place and there are plans to restore the room to its former glory, there being a little damage from damp on one exterior wall. Given the construction techniques which the Georgians used, this is a costly business. The plaster for example is not routinely on sale at B & Q, nor are the paints and colours which the room demands.