Stowe House

Stowe House Synopsis

The restoration of Stowe House and development of the surrounding estate by Stowe School, allied to work in the landscape gardens by the National Trust, is one of the greatest rescues of a country house ever achieved. The ancestral home of the Temple-Grenvilles came close to demolition in 1920, when the entire site was put up for sale. The formation of Stowe School in 1923 secured a future use that maintained the traditions of the Enlightenment with its unrelenting quest for knowledge and understanding. The past 94 years have seen innovation in land management with the gifting of the gardens to the National Trust and a renovation programme of truly monumental proportions. This major new work details the architectural history of the site, tells the story of the restoration through the words of those most closely involved and demonstrates how the School has continued to build in a sympathetic and harmonious manner that preserves the identity and character of the estate as a whole. Contents: Foreword - Andrew Fane; Introduction - John Darlington Chapter 1: 'A Work to wonder at - perhaps a Stow': the significance of the 'superb mansion' at Stowe - Jeremy Musson Chapter 2: The Architectural Development of Stowe House - Michael Bevington Chapter 3: Restoration - Restoring Magnificence - Nick Morris; The Architect's View - Jane Kennedy; Plaster and Statues - Trevor Proudfoot; Metalwork - Rupert Harris; Research Decorative Schemes - Patrick Baty; Textile Recreations for the Blue Room - Annabel Westman; Lighting - John Darlington; The Egyptian Hall - John Maddison; The Discovery of the Baroque Wall Paintings on the East Staircase - Rhiannon Clarricoates; The Temple-Grenvilles as Collectors - Anna McEvoy Chapter 4: Stowe Architecture since 2000 - Anthony Wallersteiner Notes