Syon House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Syon House |
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Syon House in 2018
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| Type | Mansion |
| Location | Syon Park |
| OS grid reference | TQ 17282 76685 |
| Area | London Borough of Hounslow |
| Built | 1547–52 |
| Rebuilt | 1767-75 |
| Architect | Robert Adam |
| Owner | Duke of Northumberland |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Syon House | |
| Designated | 15 Jun 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1080318 |
| Official name: Syon Park | |
| Designated | 1 October 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1000148 |
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Syon House is a grand home in west London. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland. This amazing building is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important. It sits inside a huge 200-acre (80 hectare) park called Syon Park. You can find it in the London Borough of Hounslow.
The inside of Syon House is truly special. It was designed by a famous architect named Robert Adam in the 1760s. He created a unique and varied style for the rooms.
Contents
Discovering Syon House History
Syon House gets its name from Syon Abbey. This was a medieval monastery built in 1415 by King Henry V. The abbey moved to the current site of Syon House in 1431. It was one of the richest nunneries in England.
In 1539, the abbey was closed down by the king. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The monks and nuns had to leave.
Royal Connections at Syon House
After the abbey closed, Syon became the king's property. Then, it was given to the 1st Duke of Somerset. He rebuilt the site as Syon House in the Italian Renaissance style.
Many famous people have stayed here. In 1541, Catherine Howard, who was King Henry VIII's fifth wife, was held prisoner at Syon. Later, in February 1542, she was taken to the Tower of London.
When King Henry VIII died in 1547, his coffin rested at Syon House for one night. It was on its way to his burial place at Windsor Castle.
In July 1553, Lady Jane Grey was living in the house. This is where she heard the news that she would become Queen.
In 1594, Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland bought Syon. His family, the Percy family, has owned it ever since.
Syon House and Early Science
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In 1609, a scientist named Thomas Harriot was working at Syon. He used a new invention, the telescope, to draw the moon. He did this on June 26, which was several months before Galileo made his own observations. There's a plaque in the park marking where Harriot worked.
Royal Visitors and Changes
In the late 1600s, Princess Anne (who later became Queen Anne) lived at Syon. She had a disagreement with her sister, Queen Mary II. Queen Mary made Princess Anne leave her royal homes. So, Princess Anne came to live at Syon with her friends, the Somersets.
In the 1700s, Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, wanted to update the house. He hired Robert Adam to redesign the inside. He also hired Lancelot "Capability" Brown to redesign the park.
Work on the inside of the house started in 1762. Five large rooms were finished by 1769. Robert Adam had planned a round room (rotunda) for the central courtyard. But it was too expensive to build.
Syon House Today
In 1951, Syon House opened to the public for the first time. This was thanks to the 10th Duke and Duchess. In 1995, the family's private rooms also became open for visitors.
The Percy family still lives at Syon House. They continue to improve it. Recently, the Duchess added a new central courtyard.
The house has also had important restoration work. In 2007, the roof was repaired. In 2008, work began on the Great Hall. There is also a long-term project to restore the Adam Rooms.
Syon House Architecture and Design
The outside of Syon House was built in 1547. This was when the 1st Duke of Somerset owned it. The inside, as we see it today, was designed by Robert Adam in 1762. He was hired by the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.
Robert Adam's Unique Style
Syon House is famous for starting the "Adam style" of design. It was meant to be in the Neo-classical style. But Adam added many other influences. You can see Roman, Romantic, Baroque, and even a bit of Gothic styles. He also used ideas from ancient Pompeii, which he saw during his studies in Italy.
Adam's plan for Syon House included many rooms on the main floor. He designed a large entrance hall, an ante-room, and a State Dining Room. There was also a State Drawing Room and a very long gallery. This Long Gallery is 136 feet long!
He also planned a grand staircase. While it wasn't built as grand as he first designed, it's still impressive. Adam's most famous additions are the state rooms. They still look exactly as he designed them.
Inside Adam's Rooms
The inside of Adam's rooms is full of amazing details and colors. He added beautiful marble fireplaces. The Drawing Room has fluted columns with fancy Corinthian tops.
The Long Gallery is about 14 feet high and 14 feet wide. It has many hidden spaces in the thick walls for books. The walls and ceiling are covered in stucco (a type of plaster) with rich decorations. At the end of the gallery, there's a small room with a domed ceiling.
Later Changes to the House
In the 1820s, the north part of the house was redesigned. This part was not finished by Adam. The 3rd Duke had the house refaced with Bath stone. The porch was also rebuilt. An architect named Thomas Cady likely did this work.
Syon House was updated again in the 1860s. The 4th Duke added Renaissance-style plaster ceilings. These were put in the Family Drawing Room, Family Dining Room, and Print Room.
Today, Syon House has many rooms. These include the entrance hall, State Dining Room, and Long Gallery. The family also has private apartments on the top floor where they live.
Exploring Syon Park
Syon Park is a large 200-acre (80 hectare) park. It runs along the River Thames. From the park, you can look across the river to Kew Gardens. Part of the park is a tidal meadow. It gets flooded twice a day by the river.
The park has more than 200 types of rare trees. Capability Brown designed the park and its lake in 1760. But its look today is mostly from the 1800s. There's a circular pool with a copy of a famous statue called Mercury. The artist J. M. W. Turner painted the park and house from across the Thames around 1802-1810.
The Great Conservatory
The Great Conservatory in the gardens is a special building. Charles Fowler designed it in the 1820s. It was finished in 1827. This was the first large conservatory made from metal and glass. It is also a Grade I listed building.
Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland, who was head of the family from 1988 to 1995, loved planting trees. He planted many new trees in the grounds of Syon.
Past Attractions in Syon Park
The London Butterfly House was in Syon Park from 1981. It closed in 2007. This was because the Duke of Northumberland planned to build a hotel there. A large hotel, the Hilton London Syon Park, opened on the site in 2011.
The Heritage Motor Museum was also once in Syon Park. It had a collection of old cars. This museum opened in 1981. In 1993, it moved to a new location in Warwickshire. Before that, Syon House hosted the London Transport Collection.
Discovering Ancient History
Since 2002, archaeologists have been digging in Syon Park. They are looking for the remains of the old Syon Abbey. This annual dig is now done by Birkbeck College. You can see an exhibition about their finds in the undercroft (an underground room).
In 2010, archaeologists found something even older. They uncovered the remains of a Roman village. This village existed on the edge of ancient Londinium. They found over 11,500 pieces of pottery, 100 coins, and jewelry. Some finds, like skeletons buried on their side, are still a mystery!
Syon Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a very important place for nature and wildlife. It is also Grade I listed.
Gallery
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East side of Syon House (around 2010)
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A design for the hall by Robert and James Adam
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Robert Adam's plan for how Syon House would be rebuilt
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Adam's design for a bridge in Syon Park
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Side view of the conservatory
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Syon Park Enchanted Woodland
See also
In Spanish: Syon House para niños
- Alnwick Castle, another main home of the Dukes of Northumberland
- Hounslow parks and open spaces
- List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater London
- Northumberland House, the old London home of the Dukes of Northumberland
- Treasure Houses of Britain, a TV show that featured parts of Syon House
