Dodington Park facts for kids
Dodington Park is a large country house and estate in Dodington, South Gloucestershire, England. It was built by a famous architect named James Wyatt for the Codrington family. This family became very wealthy from their sugar plantations a long time ago.
The estate is huge, covering about 300 acres (that's like 225 football fields!). It has beautiful gardens, woods, lakes, and even its own church. The main house is a very important historical building, listed as Grade I. Many other buildings on the estate, like the old dower house and the orangery, are also listed as Grade I.
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Where is Dodington Park?
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Dodington Park is located in the village of Dodington. This area is in South Gloucestershire, which is in the South West of England. The estate sits on the edge of the southern Cotswolds, a beautiful hilly area.
Major roads like the A46 road and A432 road are near the estate's boundaries. This makes it easy to find. The village of Dodington is right next to the western entrance.
History of Dodington Park
The Codrington family bought the Dodington estate in the late 1500s. Back then, it had a large Elizabethan-style house and a church. In the 1700s, the family became extremely rich. This wealth came from their sugar plantations in the British West Indies. They used their money to expand and improve the estate.
The famous landscape designer Capability Brown designed the park's grounds around 1764. Later, in 1793, William Emes and John Webb made some changes.
Building the Main House
The main house you see today was built between 1798 and 1816. It was designed by James Wyatt for Christopher Bethell Codrington. The house is built in a Roman classical style using Bath stone. Each side of the house looks different.
For example, the south side has seven sections with tall, decorative columns. A curved conservatory connects the house to the church. The church itself was also rebuilt by Wyatt. Inside the house, you can see beautiful plasterwork by Francis Bernasconi.
Special Features of the Estate
- Orangery: This is a curved building with a black and white stone floor. It's connected to the main house by glass doors. It was described as a "perfect example of Regency picturesque" design.
- St Mary's Church: This church is right next to the house and is also a Grade I listed building.
- Other Buildings: Many other buildings on the estate are also historically important. These include the Fishing Lodge, various bridges, stables, and even a pigeon loft.
Opening to the Public
In the 1950s, the Codrington family faced money problems. To help pay for the estate's upkeep, they opened Dodington Park to visitors. In 1955, you could visit the house from May to September.
By the 1970s, they added fun attractions. These included an adventure playground, a carriage museum, and a small railway. However, plans to build a larger pleasure park were stopped in 1982. This decision made it harder for the family to keep the estate. Sir Simon Codrington, who owned it then, said his family had fought for centuries to keep the estate.
After the Codrington Family
The Dodington Park estate was sold in 1983. It was bought by Michael Percival Kent in 1993.
In 2003, the famous British inventor and businessman James Dyson bought Dodington Park. He is known for inventing the Dyson vacuum cleaner. At that time, the estate was still about 300 acres.
In 2011, Mr. Dyson built an underground swimming pool beneath the orangery. He later got permission for it in 2016.
