Chinese Summerhouse to south side of North Broad Water

Summary

A summerhouse designed in a Chinese style. The building was built around 1760 for the Marchioness Grey, possibly to the designs of Sir William Chambers, remodelled in 1876. The building is also known as the Chinese Temple.

Reasons for Designation

The Chinese Summerhouse, Wrest Park is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural - It is an example of a bespoke garden building of distinct architectural design and quality that reflects the tastes and ideals of designed landscapes of this period, as well as the vogue for Chinese tastes;
* Artistic -It displays simple but eye-catching detail and decorative features, which give the building immediate aesthetic distinction;
* Group Value - For its contribution to the structural and aesthetic composition of a Grade I Registered Park and Garden and its association with other listed buildings, particularly the Chinese Bridge, which lies approximately 60m to the north and with which it forms part of a strong visual group.

History

Wrest Park belonged to the Grey family from the Middle Ages until the early C20. In 1702, Wrest became the property of Henry de Grey who, by 1710, had become the Duke of Kent. Henry was determined to improve the status of Wrest. At this time the gardens to the south were enlarged, alterations made to the water courses, and a number of garden buildings were constructed. A summer house was placed by the mill pond and a greenhouse was added to the Orange Garden. The architect Thomas Archer was responsible for many of these structures including the Pavilion (Grade I) which marked the southern limit of the garden as defined by the Old Brook. The alignment of the Old Brook is still maintained as the boundary between the parishes of Silsoe and Gravenhurst. Cain Hill was incorporated into the landscape as an eye catcher, its presence emphasised by the geometric axis which, eventually, led east from the house and north-east from the Archer Pavilion partly in the form of avenues.

In the 1720s additional land was acquired, various alterations to the canals were carried out and several garden buildings were commissioned, from the Italian architects Filippo Juvarra and Giacomo Leoni, but also from others, predominantly Nicholas Hawksmoor, William Kent and James Gibbs. Of these the Temple of Diana (now demolished), the West Half House (Grade II) and the East Half House (Grade II) were built. The allees (avenues) and squares, either side of the Great Canal, were also created by 1726 marking the peak of the formal garden at Wrest. Two plans drawn by Rocque in 1735 and 1737 illustrate some of these changes. In 1729 work resumed with additions including an amphitheatre to the north of the bowling green and the creation of the serpentine canal. A greenhouse (on the site of the current Orangery) and the addition to, and enlargement of Bowling Green House (Grade II*) were also completed, both by Batty Langley.

The Duke died in 1740 and the estate passed to his granddaughter Jemima who had recently married Philip Yorke, the son of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Hardwicke. They showed great interest in the garden and had great influence in its development, In 1758 Jemima commissioned Lancelot (Capability) Brown but he was constrained by her high regard for the existing landscape and reluctance to make significant alterations to the garden created by her grandfather. Brown's alterations were limited to laying the waters together around the garden and making the previously straight canals meander in a more naturalistic manner. Various buildings including the Chinese Bridge (replaced in 1876) and the Bath House (Grade II*) were added under Jemima's instruction. The Chinese Summerhouse was built c1760 and it is believed to be a design by Sir William Chambers, who designed the pagoda in Kew Gardens (Grade I). The building was remodelled in 1876 for Lady Cowper and restored again in the C20.

Details

MATERIALS: the summerhouse is built of timber with lead covering its roof.

PLAN: the plan is rectangular.

EXTERIOR: the Summerhouse is set on a stone plinth. It has open sides and front, and a two-stage, hipped pagoda roof which is crowned by a crouching wyvern - an emblem of the Grey family. There are also ornamental bells hung from the upturned corners of each roof stage The painted timber panelling is decorated with applied fret work, both internally and externally, and there is open fret work decoration at eaves level and the top of the first stage of the roof.

INTERIOR: inside is a stone floor and a simple, timber bench which runs parallel to the rear wall.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

37758

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Roscoe, I, Hardy, E, Sullivan, M G, A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain 1660-1851, ((2009))
Smith, N, Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, English Heritage Guidebook, (2008)

Other
Donald Insall Associates, Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, Conservation Management Plan, (2009),
Davies, J P S , Report on the Garden Ornaments at Wrest Park 1700-1917, (2007),
Cole, D, Beresford, C and Shackell, A, Historical Survey of Wrest Park, (2005),

End of official list entry

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