Aston Clinton House
Encyclopedia
Aston Clinton House was a large mansion to the south-east of the village of Aston Clinton
in Buckinghamshire
, England
.
In 1853 Anthony Nathan de Rothschild completed the purchase and modernisation of Aston Clinton House and extensive estates in the area. The architect involved was George Devey
, who was later to transform another Rothschild property, Ascott House
. Old photographs of the house show a sprawling neo-Georgian
/Italianate house with verandahs and a large porte-cochère. A large number of workers' cottages were built, and two schools and a village hall set up under Rothschild patronage.
On the death of Lady Louise de Rothschild in 1910 the house was bequeathed to her two daughters, Constance, Lady Battersea and Annie, The Hon. Mrs. Eliot Yorke, who shared it as a holiday home, spending a few weeks together there each summer.
At the start of the Second World War the house was the Green Park Hotel, but during the War the stables were used by EKCO
, an electronics company from Southend-on-Sea
, Essex, as its main headquarters and for radar research and development, and the main house was used as a hospital for war wounded. It later became a boys' prep school (where Evelyn Waugh
began his teaching career as a junior master), followed by a further brief spell as a hotel. It was demolished in 1956-58.
Buckinghamshire County Council
then acquired the property with the proviso that it be used for educational purposes. Today the estate is used as a residential training centre for young people. Many of the original ornamental features of the extended garden still remain, incorporated into the site now called Green Park. All that remain of the buildings of the estate are the stables, used as part of the training centre, and the lodge in Stablebridge Road. The substantial wood and glass pavilion survived as a function room for the former Bell Hotel but was destroyed by fire in the 1990's.
Aston Clinton
Aston Clinton is a village and civil parish close to the main A41 road in Buckinghamshire, England between Tring and Aylesbury. The parish covers and is about east of Aylesbury. The village is at the foot of the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at the junction of the pre-historic track the...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In 1853 Anthony Nathan de Rothschild completed the purchase and modernisation of Aston Clinton House and extensive estates in the area. The architect involved was George Devey
George Devey
George Devey was a British architect, born in London, the second son of Frederick and Ann Devey. Devey was educated in London, after leaving school he initially studied art, with an ambition to become a professional artist...
, who was later to transform another Rothschild property, Ascott House
Ascott House
Ascott House, sometimes referred to as simply Ascott, is situated in the hamlet of Ascott near Wing in Buckinghamshire, England. It is set in a estate....
. Old photographs of the house show a sprawling neo-Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
/Italianate house with verandahs and a large porte-cochère. A large number of workers' cottages were built, and two schools and a village hall set up under Rothschild patronage.
On the death of Lady Louise de Rothschild in 1910 the house was bequeathed to her two daughters, Constance, Lady Battersea and Annie, The Hon. Mrs. Eliot Yorke, who shared it as a holiday home, spending a few weeks together there each summer.
At the start of the Second World War the house was the Green Park Hotel, but during the War the stables were used by EKCO
EKCO
EKCO from Eric Kirkham Cole Limited was a British electronics company producing radio and television sets from 1924.Expanding into plastic production for its own use, Ekco Plastics produced both radio cases and later domestic plastic products; the plastics company became Lin Pac Mouldings...
, an electronics company from Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, Essex, as its main headquarters and for radar research and development, and the main house was used as a hospital for war wounded. It later became a boys' prep school (where Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
began his teaching career as a junior master), followed by a further brief spell as a hotel. It was demolished in 1956-58.
Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire, in England, the United Kingdom. Its area of control does not include Milton Keynes, which is a unitary authority...
then acquired the property with the proviso that it be used for educational purposes. Today the estate is used as a residential training centre for young people. Many of the original ornamental features of the extended garden still remain, incorporated into the site now called Green Park. All that remain of the buildings of the estate are the stables, used as part of the training centre, and the lodge in Stablebridge Road. The substantial wood and glass pavilion survived as a function room for the former Bell Hotel but was destroyed by fire in the 1990's.