Holwood House
Encyclopedia
Holwood House is a country house in Keston
, near Hayes
, in the London Borough of Bromley
, England
. The house was designed by Decimus Burton
, built between 1823 and 1826 and is in the Greek Revival style. It was built for John Ward
who later employed Burton to lay out his Calverley Park Estate in Tunbridge Wells. The gate lodges of that Estate take their names from the gate lodges on the Holwood Estate - Farnborough Lodge and Keston Lodge.
Holwood is a Grade I listed building, while its grounds, the Holwood Estate, are on the English Heritage
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England
. The house is currently privately owned and much of the wider estate is in other hands.
, and the grounds contain the remains of an Iron Age
fort known as a "Caesar's Camp
", which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. Pitt is thought to have caused the Fort remains to be levelled in order to landscape the estate's gardens.
The house was described in Thomas Wilson in his Accurate Description of Bromley in Kent of 1797 as " a small, neat, white building; it is more simple than elegant, and built on a rising ground, which commands one of the most fertile, variegated, and extensive inland prospects in the whole county". Wilson added " A stranger visiting this house, to view the country mansion of the prime minister of Great Britain, would be exceedingly surprised, to find it so insignificant in size and external appearance". Pitt engaged John Soane
to enlarge the house and Humphrey Repton to improve the grounds.
, easily distinguished from the surrounding trees by a stone seat constructed in its shade.
A Wilberforce diary entry in 1788 reads: "At length, I well remember after a conversation with Mr. Pitt in the open air at the root of an old tree at Holwood, just above the steep descent into the vale of Keston, I resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave-trade".
An oak sapling was planted in 1969 to replace the aging original pollard oak (Quercus robur, also known as English brown oak). The work was carried out by the Forestry Section of the Kent County Council's Estates Department in collaboration with the Anti-Slavery
Society
of Denison University
.
The original oak tree blew down in a storm in 1991.
Keston
Keston is a part suburban, part rural area of the London Borough of Bromley, England. It lies on the edge of Hayes Common, to the northwest of Greater London's border with Kent.-History:...
, near Hayes
Hayes, Bromley
Hayes is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London, England. It has two main areas of activity: the ancient village and suburban Hayes.-The ancient village of Nimrods :...
, in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
, 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...
. The house was designed by Decimus Burton
Decimus Burton
Decimus Burton was a prolific English architect and garden designer, He is particularly associated with projects in the classical style in London parks, including buildings at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and London Zoo, and with the layout and architecture of the seaside towns of Fleetwood and...
, built between 1823 and 1826 and is in the Greek Revival style. It was built for John Ward
John Ward (1779–1855)
John Ward was a British politician.Ward had Holwood House built for him between 1823 and 1826 and resided there.Ward was a Member of Parliament for Leominster from 11 Feb 1830 to 2 August 1830....
who later employed Burton to lay out his Calverley Park Estate in Tunbridge Wells. The gate lodges of that Estate take their names from the gate lodges on the Holwood Estate - Farnborough Lodge and Keston Lodge.
Holwood is a Grade I listed building, while its grounds, the Holwood Estate, are on the English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
. The house is currently privately owned and much of the wider estate is in other hands.
Home of William Pitt the Younger
Holwood House is on the site of an earlier building owned by William Pitt the YoungerWilliam Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
, and the grounds contain the remains of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort known as a "Caesar's Camp
Caesar's Camp
Caesar's Camp is a name used for many Iron Age hill forts in England.These include:Bedfordshire* Caesar's Camp near SandyBerkshire* Caesar's Camp, Bracknell ForestLondon* Caesar's Camp on Wimbledon CommonSurrey* Caesar's Camp near Farnham...
", which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. Pitt is thought to have caused the Fort remains to be levelled in order to landscape the estate's gardens.
The house was described in Thomas Wilson in his Accurate Description of Bromley in Kent of 1797 as " a small, neat, white building; it is more simple than elegant, and built on a rising ground, which commands one of the most fertile, variegated, and extensive inland prospects in the whole county". Wilson added " A stranger visiting this house, to view the country mansion of the prime minister of Great Britain, would be exceedingly surprised, to find it so insignificant in size and external appearance". Pitt engaged John Soane
John Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
to enlarge the house and Humphrey Repton to improve the grounds.
Wilberforce Oak
The grounds contain the stump of a tree known as the Wilberforce OakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, easily distinguished from the surrounding trees by a stone seat constructed in its shade.
A Wilberforce diary entry in 1788 reads: "At length, I well remember after a conversation with Mr. Pitt in the open air at the root of an old tree at Holwood, just above the steep descent into the vale of Keston, I resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave-trade".
An oak sapling was planted in 1969 to replace the aging original pollard oak (Quercus robur, also known as English brown oak). The work was carried out by the Forestry Section of the Kent County Council's Estates Department in collaboration with the Anti-Slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
Society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
of Denison University
Denison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
.
The original oak tree blew down in a storm in 1991.