Chiswick House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chiswick House |
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View from forecourt
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neo-Palladian |
| Location | Chiswick, London, England |
| Coordinates | 51°29′02″N 0°15′31″W / 51.48376°N 0.25866°W |
| Completed | 1729 |
| Owner | English Heritage |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington |
Chiswick House is a beautiful old house in Chiswick, London, England. It's a great example of a style called Neo-Palladian architecture. This means it was built to look like ancient Roman buildings, inspired by an Italian architect named Andrea Palladio.
The house was designed and built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694–1753). It was finished in 1729. The house and its amazing gardens cover a huge area, about 26.33 hectares (65 acres). The gardens were mostly created by the architect and landscape designer William Kent. They are one of the first examples of the English landscape garden style, which looks more natural than formal.
After Lord Burlington passed away in 1753, the house went to his family. His daughter, Charlotte, and her husband, William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, took over. Later, their son, William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, inherited it. His wife, Georgiana Spencer, was a very famous and important person in her time. She loved using Chiswick House as a quiet escape. It was also a meeting place for a political group called the Whigs.
Sadly, two important British leaders died at Chiswick House: Charles James Fox in 1806 and Prime Minister George Canning in 1827.
In the 1800s, the house wasn't used as much by the family. It was even rented out as a special hospital called the Chiswick Asylum from 1892. In 1929, the 9th Duke of Devonshire sold Chiswick House to the local council. It was used as a fire station during World War II and was damaged by bombs. Today, Chiswick House is a very important historic building, protected by English Heritage.
Contents
A Look Back: Chiswick House Through Time
How Chiswick House Began
The very first house on this spot was built around 1610. It was a large house with 33 fireplaces! It was owned by Sir Edward Wardour and later by Robert Carr. This old house was even part of a battle during the First English Civil War in 1641. In 1682, the Boyle family bought it.
The Boyle Family and a New Vision
The Boyle family used the old house as a summer home. But after a fire in 1725, Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington decided to build a brand new house. He wanted it to be a "villa," which is like a fancy country house.
Lord Burlington loved Palladian architecture. This style was inspired by ancient Roman buildings and the work of Italian architects like Palladio. Burlington had traveled to Italy and collected many drawings and ideas. He wanted to bring this classic Roman style to England.
Burlington was a talented architect himself. He designed the new villa with help from William Kent, who also helped design the gardens. The villa was built between 1726 and 1729. Burlington wanted a special place to keep his amazing art collection, which included some of the best paintings in Europe!
After Lord Burlington died in 1753, his wife and daughter inherited the house. His daughter, Charlotte, passed away in 1754, and his wife in 1758.
The Cavendish Family Takes Over
In 1758, Chiswick House went to the Cavendish family. William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, and his wife, Georgiana Spencer, loved the house. Georgiana called it her "earthly paradise." She often invited members of the Whig political party for tea parties in the garden.
In 1788, the old Jacobean house was taken down. The Cavendish family added two new sections to the villa to make more space. Georgiana also had a beautiful bridge built in 1774 and planted many roses.
Later, in 1813, a huge greenhouse was built to grow exotic fruits and flowers. In 1827, Prime Minister George Canning died at the house, just like Charles James Fox had years before.
For many years, the house was rented out. Important people like the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) stayed there in the 1870s.
Chiswick House as a Hospital
From 1892 to 1928, Chiswick House was used as a special hospital called the Chiswick Asylum. It cared for wealthy patients. The hospital was known for being kind to its patients. The extra sections of the house used by the hospital were taken down in the 1950s.
Chiswick House for Everyone
In 1929, Chiswick House was sold to the local council, so it became public property. During World War II, it was a fire station and was damaged by bombs. Luckily, a group called the Georgian Group helped save it from being destroyed completely.
Today, Chiswick House is looked after by English Heritage. In 2005, the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust was formed to manage the house and gardens. They did a big restoration project, and now the gardens are open to everyone for free!
The Villa Building: A Roman Dream
Chiswick House was Lord Burlington's attempt to build a real Roman villa in England. He wanted it to feel like a Roman garden. The house was inspired by buildings from the 1500s by Italian architects like Andrea Palladio.
Many people say it looks like Palladio's Villa Capra "La Rotonda." But Lord Burlington actually used many different ideas from Roman buildings and other architects. He had a huge collection of drawings and books about architecture.
The villa's dome, which is like a rounded roof, was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The outside of the house is made of brick, covered with Portland stone. The fancy carvings on the front porch were copied from an ancient Roman temple.
Lord Burlington also added special touches like short walls with round tops, which looked like old Roman town walls. He even placed statues of Palladio and another architect, Inigo Jones, in front of these walls. The house itself is shaped like a perfect half-cube.
You can see many Roman influences around the house. There's a statue of the Roman Emperor Augustus on the porch. In the garden, you'll find sphinxes, obelisks, and stone lions, which remind us of how Augustus brought Egyptian objects to Rome. There are also statues of Roman gods and animals that were important in Roman stories.
The house was quite small inside for living, but it was perfect for showing off Lord Burlington's amazing art collection. He had over 167 paintings in Chiswick House!
The Beautiful Gardens
The gardens at Chiswick were designed to look like ancient Roman gardens, similar to Emperor Hadrian's Villa Adriana in Italy. Lord Burlington and William Kent created new designs with features like:
- A Ha-ha: a hidden ditch that keeps animals out without blocking the view.
- Classical buildings and statues.
- Groves of trees.
- Fake Egyptian objects.
- Winding paths and waterfalls.
A special outdoor theatre made of hedges, called an exedra, was designed by William Kent. The lawn behind the house has old Cedar of Lebanon trees and stone urns. There are also three sphinxes facing the sunrise.
A lake was created around 1727 by making a stream wider. The dirt from the lake was used to build a raised path where people could walk and enjoy views of the gardens and the nearby River Thames. A gate designed by Inigo Jones was moved from another house and rebuilt in the gardens in 1738. The Classic Bridge was built in 1774 for Georgiana Spencer.
The kitchen garden, where food was grown, was first started in 1682. It fell into disrepair but was restored by volunteers in 2005. Now, the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust looks after it.
Chiswick House and Freemasonry
Some people believe that Chiswick House has links to Freemasonry. This was a secret society that many important people belonged to. Some of the paintings and the way the rooms are designed might have secret symbols related to Freemasonry. Lord Burlington himself was an important Freemason.
After Chiswick House was finished, it inspired other architects who were also Freemasons. They used similar ideas in buildings like Holkham Hall and the Mansion House in London.
Famous Visitors to Chiswick House
Many famous people have visited Chiswick House throughout its history. These include:
- Important thinkers like Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
- Future US Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
- American inventor Benjamin Franklin.
- Russian Tsars Nicholas I and Alexander I.
- Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg.
- Famous writer Sir Walter Scott.
- British Prime Ministers William Ewart Gladstone and Robert Walpole.
Even the famous band The Beatles visited Chiswick House! On May 20, 1966, they filmed music videos for their songs "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" in the conservatory, walled garden, and by the exedra.
Events at Chiswick House
Today, the gardens at Chiswick House host many fun events throughout the year. These include:
- A special show for beautiful Camellia flowers.
- Open days in the walled kitchen garden.
- A circus.
- A magical magic lantern festival with amazing light sculptures.
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A light sculpture of the Palace of Westminster at a magic lantern festival in the gardens.
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An artisan food market held at Chiswick House.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Chiswick House para niños
