Making use of my one year National Trust membership while visiting Little Saxham church last week, I went to Ickworth House and Estate which is a few miles outside of Bury St Edmunds. I'd been once before but with Eldest Daughter and Eldest Grandson when he was just a little fella and we didn't get to see much inside.(Just worked out that was 5 years ago just after Colin died)
The Rotunda is probably the most photographed part of this grand house. This ordinary photo is just a part of the whole.
Building Ickworth House
The house you see at Ickworth today – with its distinctive Rotunda – was the vision of the 4th Earl of Bristol, known as the Earl Bishop. Upon inheriting the estate in 1779, he aspired to build a house that would, in his own words, unite ‘magnificence with convenience’.
The Earl Bishop’s vision
The Earl Bishop had spent his life travelling in Europe, and had secured a vast collection of art and treasures. Started in 1795, Ickworth House was to be the home of this extensive stash, with the Earl Bishop hoping to create a gallery that would enlighten and educate receptive minds.
Irish architects the Sandys brothers brought Italian designs to life and society held its breath as the building began to take shape. Nothing like it had ever been seen in this country before, and it is unique even today.
Sadly, the Earl Bishop’s collection was confiscated by Napoleonic troops in 1798 and he spent the remainder of his days trying to recover his losses. Ickworth House was still just a shell when he died in 1803.
Completing the project
After the Earl Bishop’s death, his son Frederick, the 5th Earl (later the 1st Marquess), took over the building project, eventually moving his family into the completed house in 1829.
Frederick changed the original concept of a magnificent central house with two wings, preferring to make the East Wing the family home and the central Rotunda a gallery and entertaining space to impress visitors.
The West Wing was simply built for symmetry, and remained empty, occasionally being used for storage until 2003.
Thank you for comments yesterday and apologies for not replying - I'm doing a bit of Nanna duty for a couple of days.
I do like that laundry station with all the pine. The map of the estate reminds me of the map of the 100 acre wood in Winnie the Pooh.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at the old packaging. I saw red carbolic soap on sale in Norwich last week. Haven't seen that for years - memories of my gran. But how bizarre to have that hugh property and just keep one side for storage. I suppose it made economic sense.
ReplyDeleteLove the kitchen and servants area's, I always think they are better than upstairs.
ReplyDeleteMy kind of place. Your photo's make a visit very tempting.
ReplyDeleteI love Ickworth. The grounds are beautiful too. I went once when the daffodils were out and it was stunning.
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We were impressed by the huge wood interior doors - amongst other things. Lesley
ReplyDeleteI find such places fascinating and a wonderful step into the past! Thank you for such an interesting blog post. We have some great places in my area, including Greeenway, the home of Agatha Christie and Coleton Fishacre, a beautiful arts and crafts property. All well worth the membership fee!
ReplyDeleteIt must have been so difficult to keep such a house warm - fireplaces in every room for 'the family', though not the servants. I suppose they kept warm 'serving'!
ReplyDeleteThe most notorious thing about Ickworth House is the drug addled Hervey brother who took the fortune down the drain. I don't think your extract mentions anything of the Hervey family, strangely. I visited once and loved the Orangery. At the time I went it was all in a state of flux because of the Herveys. It looks like it may be on the road to recovery now.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing - and enormous! - place. A shame that all the treasures he bought on his Grand Tours shopping trips were confiscated by the Napoleonic troops. The kitchen looks my sort of place!
ReplyDeleteI always prefer the 'below stairs' and kitchens and kitchen gardens to the posher parts of a stately home. I'm beginning to think I was a servant in a previous life as I feel so at home there. I usually rush around the 'upstairs' bits to get to the best bits. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSo he built a house for his collection! I think a lot of people would like to do that.
ReplyDeleteLove the glimpse into below stairs and I like to read about what life would have been like for the staff in these grand houses.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Fascinating architecture. A circular center and wings on both sides seems an odd living space and more suitable for a large museum. If the collectibles were not stolen, the place would have made a great space for displaying various collections. The grounds sound very lovely.
ReplyDeleteWOW! What an amazing place, I hope you keep your photos as they are treasures. Maybe one of your children will want them. I love looking at old photos even if I don't know who they are.
ReplyDeleteLovely place. Was it not very busy? There aren't a lot of people in your photos lol. I always try to photograph scenes like that without people but it doesn't always seem to work.
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