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Visiting Stowe House

10/30/2023

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Stowe House in 1845, here portrayed in watercolours by Joseph Nash (1809-1878),
© Royal Collection Trust

Stowe House was built in 17th C. and enlarged in several phases throughout the 18th C, all under the ownership of the Temple family. It was sold in 1922 and became the Stowe School. In 1989. the Park and Gardens were endowed by donors and gifted to the National Trust, which continues to restore and maintain the Gardens for the public. The Stowe House Preservation Trust was established in 1997 to restore the house in collaboration with the school and the NT. Below, Stowe House South Front.

Many of the former State Rooms have been restored and you can visit their progress on the Stowe House YouTube channel. The public is welcome to visit the state rooms of the house when they are not in use for school activities. Thus, when we toured the gardens in May 2023, we were able to see several of the amazing interiors. Please click on the small pictures for the full image. Below left, the Corinthian-pillared portico of the south facade; right, across the lake are the two lake pavilions, and in the far distant center, the Corinthian Arch, once the formal entrance to the estate. The Arch was designed in 1765 by architect Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford (1737-1793), a well-known amateur architect, a friend of the Temple family and nephew of PM Lord Chatham.

In the words of the Wikipedia article on Stowe House, "The propensity to marry heiresses is shown by the family name being changed to Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville by the late 18th century." Once the rooms and corridors were home to a magnificent collection of painted and sculptural masterpieces, many of which were sold long ago and now can be found in major world museums. Today, we can enjoy a few originals, family portraits, and reproductions. Below, mother and son: left, Anna Eliza, Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos, painted by Sir Willliam Beechey, 1802; right, her son, the 2nd Duke, Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville (1797-1861) painted in 1830 by John Jackson (1778-1831).

Above and below, views of the Music Room, designed and painted in the Pompeian style by Vincenzo Valdrè (1740-1814), who spent a substantial part of his career on projects at Stowe House. It is beautifully ornamented and one could spend hours studying the charming images.

Above, the North Hall. Left, the elaborately restored ceiling, and right, gilded double doors flanked by portraits.
Below, the Marble Saloon, rebuilt in 1774 and based on the Pantheon in Rome with a coffered 17-meter dome topped by a skylight.
The middle row shows classical statues acquired on his Grand Tour by the George Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham (1753-1812): left, Meleager, hunter prince, and right, Venus, goddess of love. These are plaster casts of the originals collected for the Marble Saloon. In the Neoclassical Era, copies of ancient Greek and Roman statues were more esteemed than works by contemporary sculptors.

Above, Marble Saloon statues in their niches, and a reproduction of a gilded torchiere, one of several standing in between the statues. All of the photos above were taken by me or by Kristine Hughes in May 2023. Those below are from Wikipedia.
Below, left, a closeup of one of the Medici lions on the South Front; right, the ceiling of the library, one of the rooms we were unable to see due to its use by students.

Above, two views of the Blue Drawing Room, another spot in use by students when we visited, so we got only a brief glimpse. Recently restored, it would be a perfect setting for a wedding.

Above: Stowe House, North Front: the school, with the gardens beyond.

Coming soon, the ultimate in British Country Houses: Waddesdon Manor.

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Stowe Landscape Gardens, Buckinghamshire

10/17/2023

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In June we visited a spot I can now retire from my bucket list, the National Trust's on-going restoration of Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire, supported by the Royal Oak Foundation. Long considered the ultimate in 18th C. English gardens, it met every one of my expectations, as well as offering yours truly the opportunity to "drive" a golf cart over the paths.

The shifting designs of Stowe in the development of the English Landscape Garden are probably as significant as any in the realm. Not only was it designed by the leading gardeners of the 18th Century, it was built to honor and reflect the great philosophical movements and thinkers of the era, a metaphor for Britain itself.
Below left, The Temple of British Worthies, honoring such luminaries as Elizabeth I, John Milton, and William Shakespeare; right, two intrepid explorers on their magical steed (in the rain). Please click on the photos for complete versions.

Above left, three of the British Worthies, l to r, Shakespeare, John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton; right, Temple of Ancient Virtue, honoring four ancient Greeks: Socrates, Homer, Lycurgus, and Epaminondas. Both structures were designed by Charles Bridgeman, one of the original developers of Stowe Gardens for Richard Temple, 1st Viscount, later Baron Cobham (1675-1749). Members of the extended Temple Family, which owned and developed Stowe Park, included many recipients of distinguished aristocratic titles and major government offices in Britain for centuries.
Below, left, Temple of Friendship, a gathering place for political discussion and debate; right, the Shell Bridge by William Kent (1685-1748). In addition to Bridgeman and Kent, others such as John Vanbrugh (1664-1726), James Gibbs (1682-1754), and Lancelot 'Capability' Brown (1716-1783) all contributed, among many, to the landscape and architectural creations at Stowe. We will visit the house, now a school, in a future post.

Above left, the Doric Arch and statues of the Muses; right, the Chinese House, the earliest surviving Chinese style garden pavilion in Britain designed by Kent in 1738 and moved to Wotton House nearby about 1751 until restored and returned to Stowe in the 1990's.
Below left and right, restoring the Bell Gate Lodge. The large sign apologies for the 'mess' and shows original sketches of 1805, which will be the new appearance when the project is completed. This was the main entrance from the parking and other facilities. The original entrance was through the Grand Arch, no longer allowing car and truck traffic.

Above left, the Corinthian Arch, originally designed to be the stately entrance to Stowe, framing in the distance, Stowe House; right, the Gothic Temple; both photos from Wikipedia Commons; all other photos, except where noted, by Victoria Hinshaw or Kristine Hughes.
Below, the Palladian Bridge. similar to the one built at Wilton House, but wide enough for carriages to cross. The architect was James Gibbs who is also credited with the design of the Temple of Friendship and the Queen's Temple.

Above, left, view from inside the bridge; right, a local family admiring the landscape.
The National Trust writes, "The scale and beauty of Stowe have attracted visitors for over 300 years. Picture-perfect views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. Full of hidden meaning, the gardens were created as an earthly paradise and still cast their spell today."
Below left, the Gothic Temple from a distance, and right, the Temple of Concord and Victory, both pictures from the NT.

Above left, Rotondo with gilded statue of Venus; right, the Memorial to Captain Cook, both photos from Wikipedia.
Again, I see how insufficient my photographic talents are in portraying the scope and magnificence of Stowe Gardens. Luckily I can close my eyes and see so much more in my memory.

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Visiting Stowe House

Stowe Landscape Gardens, Buckinghamshire

Victoria Hinshaw, Author

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