How far does Wimpole Hall show the development of country homes up to 1873?

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Eliana Tacconi 10c2

Wimpole Hall Coursework

Q1-How far does Wimpole Hall show the development of country homes up to 1873?

Wimpole Hall was originally built in 1640; the end of the Tudor-Jacobean period, by Sir Thomas Chicheley. The building was finished in 1873 and has changed considerably since it was first built due to changes in fashion and personal taste, therefore we cannot take the hall at face value. This is also true of Hinchingbrooke House in Cambridgeshire where many changes have taken place since it was built in the Tudor-Jacobean period due to fashion and personal taste, including the West Wing and colonnade being demolished because the owner believed that there was a werewolf living in it.

Architecture has undergone three main changes. Wimpole is a good example of a Neo-Classical (c. 1700-1900) style of house. This style was brought about by the renaissance and the influence of Europe and was built to show status, wealth and power and was often built by the newly rich industrial class. The key features of this style of building were pediments, pillars, Venetian windows and symmetry. From 1066 to 1500 the wealthy buildings were castles, these were built with stone mainly for defensive purposes with features like crenellations and moats but they were also there to impress. The introduction of gunpowder from China meant improved weapons and this, along with peace within England meant that the style changed to Tudor-Jacobean (1500-1700). This style of house was mainly to show status and wealth. The buildings still had elements of castles in them like the crenellations; they also show red brick and a black brick design within the walls.

Wimpole Hall is a Neo-Classical style of building because even though it was built in the Tudor-Jacobean period it was at the very end of the period just as the fashions were changing. The house has many Neo-Classical features like symmetry, pediments, pillars, Venetian windows and balistrates. Wimpole Hall tells us nothing about the two previous styles of architecture, castles and Tudor-Jacobean.

Since being built in 1640 Wimpole has undergone many changes. In 1686 Sir John Cutler added formal gardens and geometric flower beds. Edward Harley employed an architect who added new wings to the house. Charles Bridgeman added the two and a half mile avenue of trees and decoration in the chapel was worked on. The 1st Earl of Hardwicke employed Henry Filcroft who modernized the front into a more elegant and fashionable style. The formal gardens were removed and replaced with parkland and a ‘ha ha’. Capability Brown was employed by the 2nd Earl of Hardwicke and expanded the park, added the lake, Chinese Bridge and built the folly in 1774. The designer Soame remodeled the interior of the house, designed the plunge pool and yellow drawing room and Home farm. Henry kendell remodeled the East and West wings and built the stable block. In 1976, when the national trust took over the estate they rebuilt some of the formal gardens at the back of the house. This shows that many changes can take place within a particular period.

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Source 4, an extract from a booklet about Wimpole describes work on the Chapel and Church which shows change within a period. The source also states that three small villages were moved away to improve the views from Wimpole. This shows that rich landowners could do anything they liked to improve their properties. Source 6 tells of how the Chapel was built, possibly just to balance the West Wing and because there was a feeling of rivalry with the Chapel at Cannons. This shows that building owners were competitive, pretentious and that buildings were often changed just to show ...

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