Tyntesfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tyntesfield |
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Tyntesfield, south side
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| Former names | Tyntes Place |
| General information | |
| Type | Country House |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Town or city | Wraxall, North Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°26′26″N 02°42′42″W / 51.44056°N 2.71167°W |
| Completed | 1863 |
| Cost | £70,000 |
| Client | William Gibbs |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 106 rooms 26 main bedrooms, 43 in total including servants quarters |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Norton (Main house) Henry Woodyer (Internal adjustments) Arthur Blomfield (Chapel) |
| Other designers | Powell; Wooldridge; Salviati; Hart, Son, Peard and Co.; Collier and Plucknett |
| Main contractor | William Cubitt & Co. |
| Designations | Grade I listed |
Tyntesfield (TINTS-feeld) is a huge country house and estate in Wraxall, England. It was built in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like a medieval castle or church.
The house is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. It's named after the Tynte family, who owned land here since the 1500s. The site used to have a hunting lodge and then a farmhouse.
In the 1830s, a new house was built. Later, a rich businessman named William Gibbs bought it. He made a lot of money from selling guano, which is bird droppings used as fertilizer. In the 1860s, Gibbs made the house much bigger and added a chapel in the 1870s. The Gibbs family lived there until 2001.
In 2002, the National Trust bought Tyntesfield. They raised money to save it from being sold privately. They wanted to make sure everyone could visit it. The house opened to visitors just 10 weeks after the National Trust bought it. More rooms are opened as they are fixed up.
In 2019, over 350,000 people visited Tyntesfield.
History of Tyntesfield
Early Days of the Estate
The land where Tyntesfield stands was first owned by the Tynte family. They lived in the area since the 1500s. Their main home was Halswell House in Goathurst.
By the late 1700s, John Tynte owned the Tyntesfield estate. The house had a path lined with elm trees. These trees were planted in memory of two boys from the village. In the early 1800s, Tyntes Place became a farmhouse. It was rented out to a man named John Vowles.
In 1813, George Penrose Seymour bought the property. He gave it to his son, Rev. George Turner Seymour. His son built a new Georgian mansion on the site. He tore down the old farmhouse. More changes were made by Robert Newton.
The Gibbs Family Buys Tyntesfield
In 1843, a businessman named William Gibbs bought the property. He made his fortune from his family's business, Antony Gibbs & Sons. From 1847, his company was the main importer of guano from Peru. Guano was used as a fertilizer for crops. William Gibbs became one of the richest non-noble men in England.
William and his wife, Blanche, mostly lived in London. But William often traveled for business to the Port of Bristol. So, he needed a home nearby. In 1843, he bought Tyntes Place and renamed it Tyntesfield. Soon after, Gibbs started a huge project to rebuild and enlarge the mansion.
William and Blanche Gibbs were followers of the Oxford Movement. This group believed in bringing back medieval styles. They thought the Gothic style was perfect for Christian buildings. So, Gibbs chose this style for his home. It made the house look a bit like a medieval monastery. A tall square tower with a steep roof was added. This tower was taken down in 1935.
Making the House Bigger
In 1854, William Gibbs hired John Gregory Crace. He was an architect who redesigned the main rooms at Tyntesfield. These new designs included fancy gilded panels and fireplaces. All of these were in the Gothic style.
The big rebuilding work started in 1863. William Gibbs had the house greatly changed in the Gothic Revival style. William Cubitt & Co. were the builders, and John Norton was the architect. Norton's design wrapped around the original house. He added an extra floor, two new wings, and towers.
House Design
The house is made of two types of Bath Stone. It looks very grand with its turrets and detailed roof. During its restoration, stonemasons fixed or copied old stone parts. They also replaced standard architectural pieces. All the new stone matched the original. The house, including the servants' wing and chapel, is a Grade I listed building.
The front of the house faces east over the gardens. The north side faces the entrance courtyard. These parts are made of a yellowish Bath Stone. The back of the house, which has the service areas, uses cheaper red-tinged stone. All sides have many Gothic windows, chimneys, and attic dormers. Norton designed an uneven roof with different slopes and gables. This made the building look unique. A large iron conservatory was added to the back.
The inside of the house was also in the Gothic style. Crace worked on the interiors again. Other cool features include glass by Powell and Wooldridge. There is also ironwork by Hart, Son, Peard and Co. and mosaics by Salviati. Special furniture was made by Collier and Plucknett. Gibbs also added to his collection of artworks.
The rebuilding of Tyntesfield cost £70,000. This was a huge amount of money back then. It was like 18 months of all of Gibbs's business profits. After the house was finished, Gibbs bought more land. This made the Tyntesfield estate over 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) big. It included 1,000 acres (400 ha) of forest. The house and estate employed more than 500 workers.
The Chapel
William Gibbs added a Gothic chapel to the house between 1872 and 1877. He hired Arthur Blomfield to design it. The chapel was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. It had an organ and a vault where Gibbs wanted to be buried. However, the local church leaders did not allow the chapel to be officially consecrated.
Even so, the chapel was a very important part of life at Tyntesfield. The family and their guests said prayers there twice a day. The family also opened the chapel to local people every year.
Owners of Tyntesfield
William Gibbs: 1846–1875
William and Matilda had seven children. They were all very religious. William supported Keble College, Oxford and spent his later life helping others. He also bought the local Failand Inn to control bad behavior. William Gibbs died at Tyntesfield on April 3, 1875. He was buried in the family plot at All Saints Church, Wraxall.
Antony Gibbs: 1875–1907
After William died, his oldest son Antony took over the estate. Antony married Janet Louisa Merivale in 1872. They moved back to Tyntesfield to manage the estate. Antony held important positions, like Justice of the Peace. He and Janet had 10 children.
In the 1880s, Antony had Henry Woodyer redesign the main staircase. This let more light into the lower floors. It turned the hallway into a welcoming reception room. Antony also had electricity installed, which was very new for houses in the UK then. He even watched the main entrance light to make sure it was safe. A water-powered lift was also put in.
George Abraham Gibbs, 1st Baron Wraxall: 1907–1931
George Abraham Gibbs was a soldier and served in the Boer War. He married Victoria Florence de Burgh Long. They had a daughter named Albina. George was a Member of Parliament and later became Baron Wraxall in 1928.
Under his ownership, the Drawing Room was redecorated. The iron conservatory was taken down in 1917 to help with the war effort. Its iron was melted down for ammunition. George's first wife died in 1920. In 1927, he married Ursula Mary Lawley. They had two sons, George (Richard) and Eustace. George died at Tyntesfield in 1931.
Ursula, Lady Wraxall: 1931–1979
Ursula, Lady Wraxall, was left with two young children and little money. She was very practical. When the clock tower needed big repairs in 1935, she had it taken apart. She stored the metal parts and fixed the roof as if the tower had never been there.
During World War II, Clifton High School moved to Tyntesfield. In 1941, the U.S. Army Medical Corps set up a hospital for wounded soldiers on the estate. This temporary hospital became the largest US Army hospital in Europe after D-Day.
Bombs often landed on the estate during the bombing of Bristol. In 1940, bombs cut off the estate's water supply. Later, a bomb damaged the roof light over the hallway. Lady Wraxall tried to get money for repairs but was turned down. So, damp and birds got into the house until the National Trust bought it.
Richard Gibbs, 2nd Baron Wraxall: 1979–2001
George Richard Lawley Gibbs, known as Richard, was born in 1928. He went to Eton College and Sandhurst. He was a soldier for eight years. He never married. His brother, Sir Eustace Gibbs, became the third Baron Wraxall.
Richard died in 2001. He had reduced his living space at Tyntesfield to just three rooms.
The National Trust Buys Tyntesfield
After World War II, many historic country houses were destroyed. In the 1970s, the National Trust started looking for important Victorian country houses to save. Tyntesfield was high on their list. An expert said, "There is no other Victorian country house which so richly represents its age as Tyntesfield."
Richard Gibbs knew that his family would need to sell Tyntesfield. It needed a lot of money for repairs. When Richard died, his will said the estate should be sold within 12 months to the highest bidder. The house and its land were put up for sale. The contents of the house were also to be sold in a separate auction.
The National Trust launched a £35 million campaign called "Save Tyntesfield" in 2002. They got support from many famous people. The Trust raised £8.2 million in just 100 days. They got money from the public and large donations. The National Heritage Memorial Fund gave £17.4 million, which was their biggest grant ever. The National Lottery also set aside £25 million for major repair work.
The National Trust bought the main part of the estate. This included the house, kitchen garden, and park. Other parts of the original estate were sold off. The preserved house and gardens are now known simply as Tyntesfield.
First Steps to Save Tyntesfield
After buying Tyntesfield in 2002, the National Trust staff worked to protect the house and its contents. They cataloged over 30,000 items. They started with 30 volunteers, and by 2013, over 600 people worked there.
The first big job was to make the house weatherproof. The roof is 20 times bigger than an average British home. They put up a huge scaffolding structure to fix it. This allowed repairs to happen for 18 months. The roof's original red and black pattern was restored. The whole house was rewired with special fireproof cables. Much of the old lead piping was replaced. These first repairs cost over £10 million.
The Trust didn't want visitors at first because of the work. But they realized that letting people see the repairs encouraged more donations. Visitors could see how their money was making a difference.
Exploring the Estate
Inside the House
The main rooms include the Library, Drawing Room, Billiard Room, Dining Room, and Chapel. The National Trust let visitors watch the restoration work.
The Library is very important. It has the most extensive Victorian library collection owned by the Trust. The carpet and some furniture in the Library were designed by Crace.
The hallway and staircase are in the center of the house. They have changed the most since the house was first built. The Trust repaired the roof lantern in the hallway. They also replaced the old carpet with a new one that looked like the original design.
House Contents
Christie's first thought there were over 10,000 items in the house. But by 2013, over 47,000 items had been listed! These included:
- Silver designed by William Butterfield
- Old books by Pugin and Ruskin
- An unexploded World War II bomb
- A fancy chalice with jewels
- A roll of 19th-century wallpaper
- A coconut with a carved face and hair
Paintings
The family had many paintings, mostly from Spain. Many were given to the Trust. Some were in bad condition. The most important painting is a 17th-century work by Zambrano of St Lawrence. It hangs in the hall. In 2011, the Trust bought another painting, The Mater Dolorosa, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It had been at Tyntesfield for many years.
Home Farm Visitor Centre
The Home Farm buildings were built in the 1880s. The National Trust turned them into a visitor center. It opened in 2011.
- The upper yard has a demonstration area for crafts.
- There's a plant center where gardeners sell extra plants.
- A farm-themed play area is available for kids.
- A secondhand book stall helps raise money for the Trust.
- The old covered yard is now a cafe and gift shop.
- A separate building provides power and heat using solar panels and a biomass boiler.
The Park
The house is surrounded by 150 acres (61 ha) of parkland. The park has tree-lined paths, gardens, and old summer houses.
Since the late 1800s, the Gibbs family added many interesting trees to the park. Tyntesfield now has fourteen Champion Trees, which are the largest or oldest of their kind in the UK. The National Trust is working to protect these ancient trees. These trees are home to many rare insects.
Kitchen Garden
The kitchen garden has glasshouses and a large classical Orangery. It also has quarters for the gardeners.
The Orangery
The Orangery was once a beautiful building in the kitchen garden. But it was in very bad condition when the Trust bought the property.
It was built in 1897. It's a rare example of a late Victorian orangery in the Classical style. It has large windows and fancy columns.
To fix the Orangery, the Trust worked with colleges and conservation companies. Trainee stonemasons learned skills by working on the building. The Trust also held workshops for others to learn how to repair old buildings. For this training program, the Trust won an award in 2011.
The repairs cost £420,000. Now, part of the Orangery is a cafe. The rest is used for training new craftsmen.
The Aviary
The aviary at Tyntesfield is west of the house. It was built in 1880 for exotic birds. Later, it was turned into a playhouse for Doreen, the first Lord Wraxall's daughter. The aviary is a unique part of the estate and is a Grade II listed building.
The Sawmill
The new sawmill building was finished in 1899. It provided electricity and air power to the estate. The sawmill was later moved to this building for better access to power. The old steam engines were replaced by diesel generators. After World War II, electricity came from the national grid. In the 1960s, the sawmill stopped working.
The National Trust has fixed up the sawmill. It is now a learning center and a place for events. It's often used to teach school groups. The building also has a biomass boiler for the main house. This saves a lot of CO2. Another part of the old wood shed was made into a "bat palace" for bats. The center opened in 2009.
Wildlife at Tyntesfield
Bats
Ten of the seventeen types of UK bats live at Tyntesfield. Eight species live inside the house itself. These include rare bats like the lesser horseshoe bat and greater horseshoe bat. Maintenance work is planned around their hibernation and mating times. New homes for bats are created during building work. Visitors can sometimes see the bats on a special TV system.
Visiting Tyntesfield
You can get to Tyntesfield by car on the B3128 road. The closest train station is Nailsea and Backwell, about 2 miles (3.2 km) away. Buses are also available from Bristol. You need a timed ticket to enter the house. The grounds also have six geocaching trails for visitors to explore.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in North Somerset
- List of National Trust properties in Somerset
