Tyntesfield
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Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England, in the Vale of Nailsea, seven miles from Bristol. It was acquired by the National Trust in June 2002 after a massive fundraising campaign to prevent it being sold to private interests and ensure it be opened to the public. It was opened to visitors for the first time just 10 weeks after the acquisition and as more rooms are restored they are added to the tour.
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[edit] History
The Gibbs family's fortunes originated in the establishment of a trading company by Antony Gibbs (1756-1816). Gibbs dealt mainly with Spain, and eventually took his two oldest sons (William and George) into partnership. After Antony's death, his sons built up a substantial trade in guano from the former Spanish colonies in South America. The firm's profits from this trade were such that William Gibbs became one of the richest men in England, and was able to finance the construction of Tyntesfield as a country home for his family.
William Gibbs purchased Tyntes Place, the original Regency-Gothic house that stood on the site, in 1843. In 1863 he began the full-blown rebuilding to create the Gothic Revival extravaganza that now stands. It cost £70,000 to build. Notable elements of the house include glass by Powell and Wooldridge, mosaics by Salviati, and ironwork by Hart, Son, Peard and Co. The original architect was John Norton. In the 1880s further alterations were made by architect Henry Woodyer. The chapel was designed by Arthur William Blomfield in the 1870s.
William was married to Matilda Blanche Crawley-Boevey. They had seven children and eighteen grandchildren. The family was religious, and William and his wife were supporters of the Oxford Movement.
William's grandson George served as a soldier, as the MP for Bristol West, and as Treasurer of the Household. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the Rt Hon Walter Hume Long, MP (later Viscount Long of Wraxall). His first wife was Victoria Florence de Burgh Long, daughter of Walter Hume Long. Victoria died at Tyntesfield from influenza in 1920, and in 1927 he married secondly, Ursula Mary Lawley, daughter of Lord Wenlock, and Maid of Honour to Queen Mary of Teck.
George Gibbs was elevated to the peerage as Baron Wraxall in 1928. In 1931, he was succeeded by his son from his second marriage, George (known as Richard), who died unmarried in 2001. On his death, the estate was sold. Richard's brother Sir Eustace Gibbs, a diplomat, is now the third Baron Wraxall.
The appeal by the National Trust collected £8.2 million from the public in just 100 days and the Trust also received the largest single grant ever by the National Heritage Memorial Fund (at £17.4 million), which caused some controversy. There is still considerable debate about whether spending such a large such sum on what some people consider to be an ordinary Victorian house was justified — the National Lottery has earmarked a further £25million for restoration.
[edit] Estate
Tyntesfield Estate no longer exists as it was formally known. The National Trust only purchased the main central part of the Estate which now comprises the house, the kitchen garden, and the park. It is now simply known enigmatically as: Tyntesfield. The rest of Lord Wraxall's estate was broken up and sold off "Escape to the Country" style after a long and hard milking of the local and national media press campaign during which the National Trust were remarketing their brand and making by their own admission "Tyntesfield the new sex".
[edit] House
The house is built of Bath stone, and is highly picturesque, bristling with turrets and possessing an elaborate roof. The house, which includes the servants' wing and the chapel, was made a Grade II* listed building in 1973 and has since been upgraded to Grade I. Principal rooms include the library, drawing room, billiard room, dining room and chapel. Some of the ground-floor rooms and the chapel are currently open to the public. Restoration work is underway on the remainder of the house, which will gradually be opened to visitors as the work is completed.
[edit] Kitchen garden
The kitchen garden includes glasshouses and frames, a large classical orangery and quarters for the gardeners.
[edit] Park
The wooded park leads down a tree-lined drive to balustraded terraces, and paths lead to the rose garden (Where wildlife are banned or shot due to rubbing antlers on the rose bushes), summer houses (falling down), the aviary and a lake (empty).
