Wrest park expands over 90 acres complimented by beautiful, ornate gardens, elegant statues and serene lakes. During the first world war, wrest park was used as a military hospital before being sold in 1917. This english heritage property is the perfect place to go in the coming spring months, so i thought id write a post on this fascinating property. But the contents of wrest park have had a turbulent history. English heritage, isbn 1850744815 linda cabe halpern, wrest park 16861730s. Wrest park and its gardens were the shooting location for lily allens music video, the fear. The nations canal network was inspired by the lakes and waterways created in gardens of the 17th and 18th century, such as st jamess park in london and wrest park, bedfordshire.
The gardens are wonderful and as a work in progress will only improve over the next few years. The formal gardens at wrest park developed over 150 years, from the late17th to early19th centuries. The house the wrest estate has been the family home of. Wrest park luton 2020 what to know before you go with. Wrest park, bedfordshire, england genealogy project. Wrest park garden show, an event in may bedfordshire. Im a sucker for a book with a fancy provenance and ive written about some of. Secret garden wrest park reopens after restoration. Wrest park wrest park is a country estate located in silsoe, bedfordshire, england. Wrest park is being transformed by a contemporary art exhibition this summer. London to wrest park 5 ways to travel via train, line 81.
Last month, i spent a wonderful day exploring the beautiful house and gardens of wrest park in bedfordshire. The grade i listed gardens at wrest park in bedfordshire, complete with roman bathhouse and dogs cemetery, are to be returned to their former glory in a 20year restoration project. History thomas carew 15951640 wrote his country house poem to my friend g. Wrest park is one of the most important gardens in england. Wrest park is one of the most magnificent gardens in england, but one of the least well known. Wrest park is a country estate located near silsoe, bedfordshire, england.
The sims 3 wrest park house english heritage youtube. The wrest park estate contains gardens that were originally. The grounds of wrest park silsoe, bedfordshire, england. Wrest park opening after decades behind virtually closed doors, its treasures overgrown and largely unknown, english heritage is reviving one of britains largest and most important secret gardens wrest park in bedfordshire. The relative positions of the old house blue and its replacement red historian of wrest park james collettwhite wrote a history of the old house at wrest, demolished in the 1830s, in volume xxii and xxiii of the bedfordshire magazine. The style was inspired by the gardens at versailles. Explore the evolution of the english garden and take a stroll through three centuries of landscape design at wrest park. Rectified photographic image of the parterre at wrest park, bedfordshire. Gardens england bedfordshire wrest park gardens the centre of the park survives as an example of the frenchinfluenced baroque style in england. Wrest park is an exceptional rarity a magnificent house of the 1830s, set in an outstanding restored garden landscape originating in the 17th century. The natural landscape and statues was built during the late 18th century. The upper gardens were laid out in the 1830s when the new house was built.
Wrest park house and service block comprising pavilions. From the formality of wrest park and chiswick house to the rolling parkland slopes around. I have read only four chapters, but appreciate thackers style of writing and, especially, i appreciate that thacker carefully explains horticultural and architectural terms. Wrest park is a very nice place to go for a walk, the grounds are very well kept and the gardens near the house are really nice to see. She also works as a conservation officer for the garden history society. Unlike capability browns natural landscape styling, favoured during the.
Helped no doubt by unseasonably warm weather late october we had a lovely afternoon. Its grounds contain one of the few remaining formal gardens of the early 18th century and. It has a canal, avenues and a very fine pavilion designed by thomas archer in 1710. Gallery for wrest park wrest park english heritage. Tourism marketing analysis at wrest park gardens the.
The house itself is remarkable, a near unique example of 19thcentury english architecture following. Secret garden wrest park reopens after restoration culture the. Wrest park lies 14km south of bedford, on the eastern edge of the village of silsoe, on the greensand ridge of low hills. The village was, until 2007, the location of the silsoe research institute, a bbsrcfunded body, in wrest park. Wrest parks historic house and magnificent gardens are now part of english heritage and have been restored and opened to the public from 4 august 2011. It comprises wrest park, a grade i listed country house, and wrest park gardens, also grade i. A range of original prints and paintings by artist sally annett are on display now until 22 july, and will be followed by a parallel exhibition at bletchley park. The house itself is remarkable, a near unique example of 19thcentury english architecture following the style of an 18thcentury french chateau. It comprises wrest park, a gradeilisted country house, and wrest park gardens, also gradeilisted, formal gardens surrounding the mansion. The c 380ha site is bounded to the west by silsoe and the old route of the a6 bedford to london road and on the other sides largely by agricultural land, parts of. The shelves are filled with dusty books although these arent original and. The 90acre park in bedfordshire contains 300 years of garden history and boasts versaillesstyle views.
For many years the house and wider estate were used by the ministry of agriculture as a research establishment. An economic history of the english garden by roderick. Wrest park is an english heritage property, having been acquired by the government after the second world war. The gardens are overlooked by a stylish frenchstyle 18th. Since 2006, english heritage has played a more active part in presenting the historic interiors, with new displays in the library, drawing room and countesss sitting room. From dazzling parterres and fragrant borders, to sweeping views and woodland walks, wrest park is a real treat for the senses. English heritage think its one of the most impressive, if not oldest recycled christmas tree in the country. This book is also a testament to the excellent work of english heritage and. In the 1980s the government transferred the estate on lease to a commercial research company, but more recently english heritage has done much to restore the gardens and.
Wrest parks formal gardens provide a fascinating history of gardening styles of 150 years old and inspired by the great gardens of versailles in england. Yet these remarkable places offer a wide variety of gardening pleasures. This building was replaced in the 1830s, but the formal parterre elements of the garden remain from this time. This english heritage red guide brings wrest park to life, with fascinating eyewitness accounts and exquisite drawings that recreate each site at the most exciting point in its history. The c 380ha site is bounded to the west by silsoe and the old route of the a6 bedford to london road and on the other sides largely by agricultural land, parts of the boundary being marked by a stone wall. Find out how historic england researches garden history. Wrest park luton 2020 all you need to know before you. English heritage to restore lost gardens of wrest park. The gardens dating from the late17th to early18th century survive almost intact, with some 18thcentury landscaping and 19thcentury development. Wrest park bedford, silsoe venue hire venue reservations.
Perhaps the uks oldest recycled christmas tree heritage. It comprises wrest park, a grade i listed country house, and wrest park gardens, also grade i listed, formal gardens. James collettwhite, inventories of bedfordshire country houses 17141830 in bedfordshire historical. The following extract from his article deals with the house during the 17th century. So it is little wonder that john watkins describes a visit to the garden as a walk through 300 years of garden history. Explore the evolution of the english garden with a stroll through three centuries of landscape design at wrest park.
Permanent collection the store at wrest park houses over 153,000 historical artefacts spanning over 2,000 years of englands history. Wrest park is a country estate located in silsoe, bedfordshire, england. No 2 2002 jean oneill, john rocque as a guide to gardens in garden history journal, vol 16, np 1. After the second world war it was purchased by the government which used the house as offices and constructed a considerable number of buildings on the east side of the house. The history of gardens should be the first book read by anyone who wants to learn about the history of garden styles. The breathtaking 19th century mansion invites you in through a. Unlike capability browns natural landscape styling, favoured during the late 18th century, wrest parks formal gardens provide a fascinating history of gardening styles, laid out over 150 years and inspired by the great gardens of versailles in france. The gardens of english heritage is the first book to describe the magnificent parks and gardens owned by english heritage, which are far less wellknown than its evocative medieval abbeys or victorian mansions. Its a grade 1 listed frenchstyle c18 mansion built in the 1830s which has suffered from many decades of corporate use. This is one of the most magnificent yet least wellknow gardens in england.
Explore the 92 acres of awardwinning gardens, gold winner of anglia in bloom awards 2017. Wrest park, english heritage site wrest park, luton. It comprises wrest park, a grade i listed country house, and wrest park gardens, also grade i listed, formal gardens surrounding the mansion. The exhibitions in the first bit of the house is very good, telling you the history of wrest park. The original medieval manor that existed on the property was demolished and in the. Medieval may day celebration, bromham watermill, bromham bedford local beer and food festival, the white horse, bedford stotfold mill steam fair and country show, stotfold mill, hitchin luton carnival, luton wilkes walk, starts from all saints church, leighton buzzard.
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