Ascott House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ascott House |
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The centre of the entrance front, the oldest part of the house. A beam over the present front door (behind the fountain) gives the date 1606
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Country house |
| Location | Ascott, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°53′44″N 0°42′22″W / 51.89545°N 0.70617°W |
Ascott House, also called Ascott, is a beautiful old country house in Buckinghamshire, England. It's a special building, listed as Grade II*, meaning it's historically important. The house sits on a large estate, about 32 acres (13 hectares) in size.
Ascott House started out as a farmhouse way back in the 1600s, during the time of King James I. It was known as "Ascott Hall" then. In 1873, a rich family called the Rothschilds bought it. They owned a lot of land in Buckinghamshire and built many grand houses.
Baron Mayer de Rothschild, who lived nearby, gave Ascott House to his nephew, Leopold de Rothschild. Leopold then spent many years turning the farmhouse into the large, comfortable country house you see today.
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What Does Ascott House Look Like?
When Leopold de Rothschild first got Ascott, he used it mainly for hunting. But it was too small, so in 1874, he hired an architect named George Devey to make it bigger. The house you see now, with its half-timbered walls, is mostly thanks to Devey's work.
Devey wanted the house to look like it had grown slowly over hundreds of years. The building project continued for many years as the house was always being expanded.
A Unique Style
The house has a unique style, like an "English cottage meets a Tudor manor house." It looks very relaxed and informal. The bottom floor is made of red brick, and the upper floors have wooden beams and plaster. This rustic design was perfect for a country getaway.
It was different from other Rothschild homes, which were often grander and more formal. Ascott was meant for fun and relaxation. Devey was a pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, and he created his own rustic style. The house has huge bay windows that offer amazing views of the Chiltern Hills.
Inside Ascott House
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After Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild passed away in 1937, her son Anthony Gustav de Rothschild inherited the house. He and his wife, Yvonne D'Anvers, made the house even bigger. They also filled it with beautiful paintings and a large collection of English furniture from the 1700s.
Grand Rooms, Cozy Feel
The main floor has several large reception rooms. Even though these rooms are filled with amazing art and furniture, they have lower ceilings. This makes them feel cozy and informal, not like formal "state rooms" meant for official events.
- Entrance Hall: Here you can see large paintings by famous artists like Thomas Gainsborough, George Romney, and Joshua Reynolds. There's also a big painting by George Stubbs called "Five Mares."
- Dining Room: This room looks like it has Dutch tiles, but it's actually a clever painting trick called trompe-l'œil. It holds a collection of small, mostly Dutch, paintings from the 1500s and 1600s.
- Drawing Room: This room displays a collection of blue Chinese ceramics. These pieces are very old, some from the Han dynasty (around 206 BC). You can also see a painting of the Madonna and Child by Andrea del Sarto from 1520.
- Library: In 1936, the Billiards Room was turned into a library for Anthony de Rothschild's many books. It's one of the most comfortable rooms. The walls are lined with books, broken up by Gainsborough's portrait of the Duchess of Richmond. You can also find furniture by Thomas Chippendale and ancient Chinese ceramics here.
Exploring the Gardens
The beautiful, well-kept gardens were designed around 1902. Leopold de Rothschild created them as a wedding gift for his wife. One cool feature is a sundial made entirely of trimmed hedges. It even has Latin numbers and says: "Light and shade by turn, but love always."
Fountains and Flowers
Close to the house, you'll find paved garden areas. Beyond these, across wide lawns, are terraced gardens. These gardens are known for their trimmed hedges, shaped plants (topiary), and flowering shrubs.
The biggest feature is a large bronze fountain. It shows Venus in her shell chariot, surrounded by cherubs. This fountain was made by an American sculptor named Thomas Waldo Story. He also made the fountain in the Dutch flower garden.
This "Dutch garden" is famous for its tulips in spring. You reach it by going down steps through a rock garden with a dripping grotto and artificial stalagmites. In the middle of this garden, Story's tall fountain, topped with Cupid, is surrounded by formal flower beds.
Peaceful Paths
From the garden near the entrance, a long grassy path leads to the lily pool. This path is enclosed by a tall beech hedge. The lily pool was originally made for ice skating. Today, it's the center of a garden inspired by Claude Monet's paintings, complete with a thatched summerhouse designed by George Devey.
Cricket at Ascott
Cricket has been played at Ascott House since August 28, 1880. The Rothschild family played a big part in starting the Buckinghamshire County Cricket Club.
Buckinghamshire County Cricket Club played regularly at Ascott House from 1905 until 1979. They returned for matches in 1998, 2003, and 2009.
A Memorable Match
In 2003, a professional cricket team, Gloucestershire, played a match at Ascott. Gloucestershire scored a huge 401 runs, then bowled Buckinghamshire out for only 77 runs. Gloucestershire won the match by 324 runs!
Ascott House Today
In 1947, Anthony Gustav de Rothschild gave Ascott House, along with some of its important art collection, to the National Trust. The National Trust now manages the property.
However, the Rothschild family still has a very close connection to Ascott. The last person to live in the house was Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, who passed away in 2022. He added even more art and ceramics to the collection. Much of what you see inside is still privately owned by the Rothschild family.
Sir Evelyn de Rothschild also made the estate much larger, to about 3200 acres (13 square kilometers). The estate now has many new tree plantings, well-kept hedges, and new woodlands. Even though a major road, the A505, goes through the area, it has been hidden by thick trees.
Ascott House still feels like a private home. It is open to the public on some afternoons during the summer.
See also
- Rothschild properties in England
- Rothschild family
