Wrotham Park: Part One

Wrotham Park is a stately Palladian country house in Hertfordshire, built in the mid-18th century for Admiral John Byng; although it was badly damaged by a devastating fire in 1883, the house was rebuilt and the still impressive interiors have been used for many period films, most notably Gosford Park [1]. Daniel Deronda, Jeeves and Wooster: Series One, Episode Four (The Hunger Strike), Sense and Sensibility, and  Poirot: Series One, Episode Three (The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly) all utilized various rooms of Wrotham Park for their sets as well.

Wrotham Park

The 1883 fire at Wrotham Park broke out in the top room of the house, and the fire brigade pumps did not have enough power to reach higher than the portico [2]. The house was gutted, but the fire spread slowly enough that all important contents, including the painting collection, were saved; Wrotham Park was rebuilt in the same style, but using more solid, structurally sound Victorian techniques [2]. Through the frequent use of the house in period films, the viewer can gain access to many rooms of the house including the saloon, library, entrance hall, hallways, sitting room, and dining room.

Wentworth Woodhouse

Wentworth Woodhouse is an enormous country house in South Yorkshire with 365 rooms, 1000 windows, and five miles of underground passageways [1]. It was originally the home of the Wentworths in the 13th through 17th centuries, and then passed to the wealthy Fitzwilliam family in the 18th century [2]. For the Fitzwilliams, Wentworth Woodhouse exhibited their great wealth and status, and was frequently used as a venue for entertaining. The house features an acclaimed art collection, with rooms dedicated to its display including the Van Dyck Room and the Long Gallery. Wentworth Woodhouse was used when filming the grandiose Cumnor Towers in Wives and Daughters.

Wentworth Woodhouse

Wentworth Woodhouse entrance

Paintings in Wentworth Woodhouse include works by Van Dyck, Lawrence, Reynolds, Lely, Lorraine, and many others. These works stand as examples of taste, discernment, and wealth for all visitors and guests to marvel at [3]. Additionally, the Palladian style of the facade continues in the interior of the house, which features Neoclassical architectural elements and an elaborate gold ornamentation throughout.

Syon House

Syon House, located just outside of London, was built on the site of a 15th century abbey and was remodeled substantially in the mid-16th century and then again in the mid-18th century [1]. The estate has passed from generation to generation of the Northumberland family, each owner putting their own mark on the house and grounds. The interior as seen today was designed by the well-known Neoclassical architect Robert Adam in the 1760s, and the renowned Red Drawing Room has been the site of filming for both the 1996 version of Emma and briefly for the 2008 biopic Miss Austen Regrets.

Syon House

Both the House of Tudor and the House of Stuart have connections to Syon House. Tudor queens Lady Jane Grey, Catherine Howard, and Catherine of Aragorn all spent time at the house, as well as Stuart king Charles I and his children. These illustrious royal connections are reflected in the impressive collection of royal portraits which decorate the interior of the house.

Brocket Hall

Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire is a large Neoclassical red brick house built for the Lamb family in 1760-1780 [1]. A short 22 miles from London, Brocket Hall has all the charm of a country house while still retaining accessibility to a big city. The illustrious ballroom represented Netherfield Park in the wonderful 1995 miniseries of Pride and Prejudice.

Brocket Hall

The ballroom at Brocket Hall, also called the dining room or the saloon in various sources, is lined with impressive full-length royal and family portraits. From depictions of Charles I to representations of the Prince Regent with his horse, these works provide a fitting backdrop for Netherfield Park and its much anticipated ball.

Levens Hall

Levens Hall is located on the edge of the Lake District, in Cumbria. The estate is best known for its beautiful topiary gardens developed in the late 17th/early 18th century, but the large Elizabethan house is also of considerable note. Levens Hall dates back to the 14th century, but was refurbished in the late 16th century, resulting in the house we see today [1]. Many of its room can be seen in the BBC miniseries Wives and Daughters as Hamley Hall.

Levens Hall

Levens Hall's interiors feature original oak panelling from the Elizabethan period throughout the house, on which many paintings are displayed. Its art collection includes works by Rubens and Lely, as well as many family portraits [2]. There is no one main painting gallery at Levens Hall, so their collection of portraits can be seen in many various rooms of the house including a bedroom and the drawing room.

Wilton House

Wilton House in Wiltshire was finished in the mid-16th century, and then rebuilt a century later under the supervision of popular architect Inigo Jones after a devastating fire [1]. This Palladian country house has been the residence of the Herbert family (Earls of Pembroke) for over 400 years. While Chatsworth House was used for the exterior of Pemberley in 2005's Pride and Prejudice, Wilton House represented its magnificent interior.

Wilton House

The art collection at Wilton House is vast and impressive, containing over 230 works by renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Holbein, Hals, Rubens, Reynolds, and Brueghel [2]. The collection is particularly rich in its holding of works by van Dyck; family portraits he painted are displayed on the walls of the ornate Single and Double Cube Rooms.

Powderham Castle

Powderham Castle in Devon was completed at the beginning of the 15th century for the long-standing Courtenay family [1]. Victorian renovations resulted in the house we see today; the exterior is a recreation of an idealized medieval castle, while the interiors are purely Georgian in style [2]. Part of the 18th century remodeling in the house included the impressive Music Room and Staircase Hall. These rooms among others were used to represent Darlington Hall in the filming of Remains of the Day

Courtenay family portraits are displayed throughout the house, including some works dating back to the 16th century [2]. Portraits came to be treated as heimlooms, intended to be passed down from generation to generation as part of the contents of the house [3]; this is particularly true with the long shared history of Powderham Castle and the family who owns it.