Winslow Hall
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Winslow Hall is a 17th century country house in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England. The architect of the mansion has been a matter of prolonged architectutal debate; candidates include Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren or a talented provincial draughtsman.
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[edit] Architect
"Winslow Hall was built in 1700 by Secretary Lowndes" claims the Magnus Brittannia, with no mention of an architect.[1] The architectural commentator Lipscombe, writing in 1740, is less cautious: he notes the "commodious plain brick edifice with a flight of several steps to the door over which is the date of its erection 1700 and the name of William Lowndes." Lipscombe then writes "for whom it was designed by Inigo Jones". This is one of the myths about the hall that have abounded ever since. Inigo Jones died in 1652, and so is unlikely to have designed it. Jones is also supposed to have designed another local mansion (now destroyed) at Ascott, Buckinghamshire
Sir Christopher Wren, the second suggested architect is more plausible: A ledger book discovered in the early twentieth century detailing work on the house has caused new debate on the matter. Scattered among the payments made to stonemasons, carpenters and bricklayers are alterations in payments to craftsmen, authorised by 'St. Critophr Wren Surveior Gen' (sic.) The account book is complete and detailed and yet records no payment to Sir Christopher Wren himself. William Lowndes (the owner) and Wren knew each other, they served on a committee together in 1704. Was Wren the architect, or was he merely looking through a friend's building accounts as a favour? All Souls College, Oxford own a comprehensive collection or Wren's drawings, plans and letters. There is nothing in this collection which connects Wren with Winslow Hall.
The master carpenter documented at the house was Matthew Banckes, who had been Master Carpenter in the Office of Works since 1683, and was Master of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters at the time the house was built. Banckes often acted as surveyor at works by Wren, including six of the City churches and at Trinity College Library, Cambridge.
There is but one clue in the design of the house, The fireplaces on the ground floor are no longer original, but one room on the first floor retains an original corner fireplace. Corner fireplaces are said to have been a feature of Wren's domestic work. However, they consequently became a fashion at the time. The four massive chimney stacks, dominating the mansion, are not repeated on any house designed by Wren. While in the ledger book is recorded the most menial labourer's name to the highest surveyor's, never once is the architect mentioned. A 1695 engraving shows a very similar house to Winslow existed at Sarsden in Oxfordshire. It is possible similar plans were copied by a local draughtsman, and Wren kept an eye on the work and the books. It is doubtful three hundred years later that proof will be found either way. Without stronger evidence, while it is probable Wren was involved, Winslow Hall can only be attributed to Sir Christopher Wren. It is fascinating to note, though, the same book records the builders used in all 111 oak trees which cost a total of £221:19s:2d. The bill for cutting "Mr Lowndes name and the date of the year over the door" ('1700', and visible from the road today) was £5. The total cost of building the house was £6,585:10shillings and 2.25pence [2].
[edit] Design and grounds
The design concept is extreme symmetry, pushed to the utmost extent. The original plan of the house was very simple, a main rectangular block, three floors high, 7 bays long, 5 bays wide. The fenestration is of symmetrically placed sash windows. The three bayed central section is crowned on both principal facades by a pediment containing a round window. The central front door led to a narrow passage the width of the house ending with a door onto the garden at the rear. To the right at the front was the dining room, to the left the hall. Passing along the passage, towards the gardens, were on the right the library and on the left the withdrawing room. Symmetrically placed in the centre of each end wall of the house were staircases. Flanking the house were two wings, on the west a large kitchen and service range and on the east connected by a covered way a brew-house and laundry. These two wings have now been altered and in one case removed. The interiors of the house have too been altered over the centuries, however much original panelling remains.
The gardens to the rear (south) have been improved by the present owner, who has a passion for specimen trees and shrubs. The North (entrance front) faces the main road from Whitchurch to Buckingham and is clearly visible and close to the road, something very rare in an English country house, one other instance where this happens is Aynhoe Park in Oxfordshire. Hence Winslow Hall is almost unique as both a town and a country house. Thus it is even more remarkable that it has survived largely unaltered, escaped conversion to institutional or office use, and remains today in 2004 an inhabited house.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Winslow Hall is attributed to Sir Christopher Wren by Colvin, based on The Wren Society, xvii, 54-75.
- ^ All figures and statistics in this section are from Records of Buckinghamshire
[edit] References
- Records of Buckinghamshire, Vol. XI - No 7; published G T de Fraine, Aylesbury 1926.
- Colvin, Howard, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 3rd ed. 1995: "Matthew Banckes", "Sir Christopher Wren"
