Basildon Park facts for kids
Basildon Park is a beautiful country house located in Berkshire, England. It's about 2 miles (3 kilometres) south of Goring-on-Thames. The National Trust now owns and cares for it. This grand house was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes. It was designed by John Carr in a style called Palladian style, which was popular then. The inside rooms have a neoclassical look, often called "Adamesque" after Robert Adam.
Basildon Park was never fully finished by its first owner. It changed hands many times over the years. In 1914, it was used as a hospital for soldiers during World War I. Later, in 1929, someone even tried to take it apart and rebuild it in the USA! Many of its original features were removed, and the house was almost abandoned.
During World War II, Basildon Park was used by the army as a barracks and even a training ground for tanks. These activities were very tough on the already damaged building. By 1952, the house was in very bad shape, with most windows broken.
Luckily, Basildon Park was saved and brought back to life by Lord and Lady Iliffe starting in the 1950s. They spent 25 years restoring it. In 1978, the Iliffes gave the house and its park to the National Trust. They hoped it would be protected "for future generations to enjoy."
Contents
History of Basildon Park
Early Days of Basildon
The history of Basildon goes back to 1311. In the 1600s, the estate was bought by the Fane family. We don't know much about the house during their time. However, a mansion was built, and its old Gothic lodges (small gatehouses) still stand today. The Fane family owned Basildon until 1766.
In 1771, Sir Francis Sykes bought the estate. He had become very rich working for the British East India Company in India. People like him were sometimes called "nabobs." Sir Francis wanted a grand house close to London to show his wealth and help his political career. Basildon was perfect for this. Many other wealthy people who had returned from India lived nearby.
Building the House in the 1700s
Sir Francis Sykes started building Basildon Park in 1776. This was after some financial difficulties. He was created a baronet in 1781 and became a Member of Parliament. Work on Basildon continued for the rest of his life. Sadly, he faced some family disappointments.
Sir Francis Sykes passed away in 1804. His body was buried at St Bartholomew's Church, Lower Basildon. At the time of his death, the main rooms at Basildon Park were still not fully finished.
Basildon in the 1800s
After Sir Francis Sykes died, Basildon Park went to his grandson, who was only five years old. The family's money was running out, and the house was mortgaged. In the late 1820s, the Sykes family had serious money problems. In 1829, they put Basildon Park up for sale.
The house was often rented out during this time. The future Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli even stayed there as a guest. In 1838, the Sykes family finally sold Basildon Park.
The new owner was James Morrison, a very wealthy man who had made his fortune in business. He owned several large estates and a huge art collection. Basildon Park became a home for some of his best artworks.
Morrison hired an architect named John Buonarotti Papworth to finish the house. Papworth helped decorate the main rooms in a classical style. He also added modern features like a hot water system. James Morrison died at Basildon in 1857.
Basildon in the 1900s
James Morrison's daughter, Ellen, lived at Basildon Park until she died in 1910. After her death, the house began to decline. Her nephew inherited it but never lived there. In 1914, during World War I, the British Government used the house as a hospital for injured soldiers. This caused some damage.
The owner later had to sell Basildon Park in 1929 due to financial difficulties. The new owner, the 1st Lord Iliffe, bought the estate but not the house itself. He took some doors and fireplaces for his London home and then put the house back on the market.
In 1929, a property developer named George Ferdinando bought Basildon Park. He first thought about selling the house to be taken apart and rebuilt in America! Luckily, he changed his mind. Instead, he converted an old sawmill on the estate into a house for himself. His son, Eric, helped oversee the return of some of the house's original features.
During World War II, Basildon was used by troops. The park became a training ground for tanks. After the war, the house was in very poor condition. The roof was damaged, and there was even a fire. George Ferdinando died in 1949.
Because of the high costs of repairs and taxes, the house had to be sold again. This is when the 2nd Lord and Lady Iliffe stepped in. Lady Iliffe saw the potential in the mansion and convinced her husband to buy it. This was the start of Basildon Park's amazing rescue.
The Iliffes spent 25 years completely restoring and refurnishing Basildon. They bought many fixtures and fittings from other old houses that were being demolished. They found many beautiful 18th-century doors and fireplaces.
Inside Basildon Park
The main part of Basildon Park, called the corps de logis (meaning "body of the house"), has three floors. The ground floor, known as "the Rustic" in the 18th century, was for servants and everyday use. Today, the old Servants' Hall is a tea room for visitors.
The First Floor
The first floor is the piano nobile (meaning "noble floor"). This is where the most important rooms of the house are. In the 1700s, houses were becoming less formal. So, Basildon doesn't have a long line of rooms that get grander and grander. Instead, it has two separate sets of rooms on either side of the main hall.
- The Hall is the main entrance for important guests. When you enter, you can see straight through to the Octagon Drawing Room. In the 18th century, the hall, dining room, and Octagon Drawing Room would have been used for dancing, supper, and card games during parties. The hall still has its original plasterwork and Spanish mahogany doors.
- The Staircase Hall is in the middle of the house. It's a tall room with a wide staircase that goes up to a gallery. The staircase railings are made of gilded iron with classical designs.
- The Octagon Drawing Room is the most important room in the house. It has eight sides and a beautiful gilded ceiling. This room was used to display the owners' best art. Today, it has neoclassical furniture and paintings.
- The Dining Room has changed a lot over time. It's decorated in a neoclassical style. In 1929, many of its original features, like painted panels and the fireplace, were sold and are now in the Basildon Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. When Lord and Lady Iliffe restored the house, they brought the room back to its original look using similar pieces.
- The Kitchen was originally in a separate building to keep cooking smells away from the main house. This meant hot food had to travel across an open courtyard! When Lady Iliffe restored the house in the 1950s, she put a new, modern kitchen on the first floor. This kitchen is now open to the public, showing what a 1950s kitchen looked like.
- The Green Drawing Room was once a breakfast room. Now, it's a drawing room with a neoclassical ceiling and green silk walls.
The Second Floor
The second floor has smaller windows, showing it was less important than the first floor. However, it was still used for guests and family, not just servants.
Basildon Park Today
Basildon Park is special because it survived when many other country houses were being destroyed in the 20th century. Over 1,000 country houses were demolished after 1900, especially between 1955 and 1975. Basildon Park was saved just in time.
When the Iliffes gave the house to the National Trust in 1978, they wanted it to be protected for everyone to enjoy. Visitors today can see what a grand house looked like in the 18th and 19th centuries. They can also see how it was adapted for modern life in the 20th century.
Filming Location
Basildon Park is not just a museum; it's also a popular place for filming movies and TV shows!
- It was used as Netherfield Park in the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice.
- It also appeared in the 2016 film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
- The house was a location for the 2006 movie Marie-Antoinette.
- It was Lord and Lady Radley's house in the 2009 film Dorian Gray.
- It appeared in the 2019 movie The Gentlemen.
- The interiors of Basildon stood in for Grantham House, the Crawley family's London mansion, in the TV series Downton Abbey.
- The garden room and parterre were used for a party scene in the second season of Bridgerton.
Images for kids
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The Basildon Room, The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York
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A close-up view from the Basildon Room.
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The mantelpiece in the Basildon Room.
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The ceiling of the Basildon Room.
