Penshurst Place

2025-10-10T07:17:25Z

2001:FB1:CC:75C7:8433:74A1:51FA:476:

{{Short description|Historic medieval house in Kent, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
[[File:Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Kent.jpg|thumb|300px|Private entrance to Penshurst Place]]
[[File:Sheep and lambs at Penshurst Place - geograph.org.uk - 6075503.jpg|thumb|300px|Sheep and lambs at Penshurst Place]]
'''Penshurst Place''' is a historic building near [[Penshurst]], Kent, {{convert|32|mi|km}} southeast of [[London]], England. It is the ancestral home of the Sidney family, and was the birthplace of the great [[Elizabethan poetry|Elizabethan poets]] and courtiers, siblings [[Mary Sidney]] and [[Philip Sidney]].

The original medieval house is one of the most complete surviving examples of 14th-century domestic architecture in England. Part of the house and its gardens are open for public viewing. Many TV shows and movies have been filmed at Penshurst.

==History==
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[[File:The Hall at Penshurst Place from Ancestral Homes of Noted Americans by Anne Hollingsworth Wharton (1915).jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Great Hall at Penshurst Place, circa 1915]]
Penshurst Place was built as a [[hall house]] in 1341 for [[John de Pulteney|Sir John de Pulteney]], a London merchant and four times [[Lord Mayor of London]]<ref name="Penshurst">{{Cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000153?section=official-list-entry|title=Penshurst Place. Official list entry|website=Historic England: National Heritage List for England|access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1798 |title=Parishes |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62988 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=6 |pages=499–531 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> who wanted a country residence within easy distance of London.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gardens (en) |first=Parks and |title=Penshurst Place - Royal Tunbridge Wells |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/penshurst-place |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Parks & Gardens |date=January 1991 |language=en}}</ref> This was at the time when such properties ceased to be castles: they were more dwellings that could be defended in an emergency.<ref name=":0" /> When [[Henry IV of England|Henry IV]]'s third son, [[John, Duke of Bedford]], occupied Penshurst, the second hall, known as the Buckingham Building, was built: so called after the subsequent owners, the [[Duke of Buckingham|Dukes of Buckingham]]. [[Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham]] was executed in 1521 by [[Henry VIII]] following a lavish feast held at Penshurst Place hosted by the Duke in honour of Henry in 1519;<ref>[https://www.penshurstplace.com/explore/learn/history-timeline Penshurst Place timeline]</ref> it then stayed in the crown estate for the rest of Henry's reign, with documented evidence Henry used Penshurst Place as a hunting lodge and visiting with his courtier Brandon, the property being only a few miles from [[Hever Castle]], the childhood home of Henry's second wife [[Anne Boleyn]].

In 1550, Henry VIII's son, [[King Edward VI]], granted the house and estate to Sir [[Ralph Vane|Ralph Fane]], a supporter of [[Protector Somerset]], but it was forfeited two years later after Sir Ralph was executed for treason.

===Sidney family===
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Penshurst Place was enlarged after 1552 when King Edward VI granted the house to Sir [[William Sidney of Penshurst|William Sidney]] (1482–1554), who had been a courtier to the King's father, Henry VIII. Sir William's son [[Henry Sidney|Henry]] (1529–1586) married [[Mary Dudley, Lady Sidney|Lady Mary Dudley]], whose family became implicated in the [[Lady Jane Grey]] affair, although Henry himself escaped any such implications. During his lifetime he added apartments and the "King's Tower" to Penshurst. He employed a joiner Evan Lucas to supply panelling and carve ornaments including leopard's heads for the hall and gallery.<ref>''HMC Report on the Manuscripts of Lord De L'Isle & Dudley at Penshurst Place'', vol. 1 (London, 1925), pp. 260–1.</ref> Henry Sidney also created what is now one of England's oldest private gardens, with records going back to 1346.

[[Philip Sidney]] (1554–1586), Henry's son, was born at Penshurst Place in 1554. Poet and courtier, he was buried in [[Old St Paul's Cathedral]] in London, having died twenty-five days after a bullet wound to the thigh at the [[battle of Zutphen]]; his tomb was destroyed in the [[Great Fire of London]] in 1666.

Philip's brother [[Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester|Robert Sidney]] inherited Penshurst. His time there resulted in more additions to the state rooms, including an impressive "Long Gallery". He had also inherited the [[Earl of Leicester|Earldom of Leicester]], and his descendants for the next seven generations continued to live at the mansion.

=== Restoration ===
By the 19th century, the building was falling into disrepair, but a new occupant in 1818, Sir John Shelley-Sidney, uncle of [[Percy Bysshe Shelley]], gained ownership of the property. He began to restore the building with architect J. Rebecca.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Historical Attractions Kent - Penshurst Place History Timeline |url=https://www.penshurstplace.com/explore/learn/history-timeline |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=www.penshurstplace.com}}</ref>

His son Philip Sidney, 1st Lord De L'Isle and Dudley, continued the restoration. Under Philip's care, a stable wing was constructed, which currently houses a Toy Museum.<ref name=":1" />

=== Opening to the public ===
The 5th Baron, [[William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle|William Sidney]] (1909–1991), inherited Penshurst Place in 1945.<ref name=":1" /> He was one of only two men who held both the [[Victoria Cross]] and membership of the [[Order of the Garter]]; he was created 1st [[Viscount De L'Isle]] in 1956. Much of the modern restoration of Penshurst is due to him and to his son, the [[Philip Sidney, 2nd Viscount De L'Isle|2nd Viscount]]; it had suffered neglect during [[World War I]]. Penshurst Place opened to the public in 1946 to help offset the cost of wartime damages.<ref name=":1" />

Many members of the family are buried or commemorated in the Sidney Chapel at [[St John the Baptist, Penshurst]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=St John the Baptist, Penshurst |url=https://www.highwealdchurches.org.uk/stjohnbaptist |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=High Weald Churches |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Main features of the house==
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[[File:Penshurst Place, Kent.jpg|thumb|View of the house from the garden]]
[[File:Flag Gardenaat Penshurst Place & Gardens (c) Penshurst Place.jpg|thumb|Flag Garden at Penshurst Place]]
It is possible to see in the house the evidence of occupation over its 670-year history:

*The State Rooms, filled with a collection acquired by generations of the Sidney family.
*The West Solar, or State Dining Room, part of the medieval building, contains a collection of family portraits, furniture and porcelain.
*The Queen Elizabeth Room, named after [[Elizabeth I|Queen Elizabeth I]], with its display of early upholstered furniture.
*The Tapestry Room
*The Long Gallery, full of royal and family portraits
*The Nether Gallery: with an array of arms and armour
*Toy Museum – features toys from several generations of the Sidney family, includes dolls, doll houses, teddies, toy soldiers, mechanical toys and general play items<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toy Museum Penshurst Place |url=https://www.penshurstplace.com/explore/play/toy-museum |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=www.penshurstplace.com}}</ref>
*[[Queen Victoria]]'s stool: in one of the smallest rooms of the house, there is a green stool on display. Queen Victoria sat on this stool when she was pronounced Empress of India in 1876.

=== Sidney Oak ===
One notable element of the property was the Sidney Oak tree, estimated to have grown for more than 1000 years. It died in 2016 and was commemorated with a plaque on the property in 2017. It was listed as one of Britain's 50 Great Trees during [[Queen Elizabeth II]]'s Golden Jubilee.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-16 |title=Mighty oaks from little acorns grow |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/whats-on/news/penshurst-place-1000-year-old-sidney-oak-tree-commemorated-125834/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}</ref> An oil painting depicting the tree and the Penhurst property was gifted to the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] in 1857, where it is still housed.<ref>{{Citation |last=Nasmyth |first=Patrick |title=Sir Philip Sidney's Oak |date=1820–1830 |url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O17383/sir-philip-sidneys-oak-oil-painting-nasmyth-patrick/ |access-date=2024-03-13}}</ref>

==Filming location==
[[File:Gatehouse of Penshurst Place.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Grade II-listed]] gatehouse to Penshurst Place]]
Penshurst has been used as a filming location, including: ''[[Anne of the Thousand Days]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kent Film Office |title=Kent Film Office: Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) |date=18 December 1969 |url=https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/1969/01/anne-of-the-thousand-days-1969/7/ |access-date=23 September 2018}}</ref> the 1971 [[BBC]] series ''[[Elizabeth R]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author=Kent Film Office |url=https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/1971/08/elizabeth-r-1971/ |title=Kent Film Office Elizabeth R (1971)|date=12 August 1971 }}</ref> the 1992 television series ''[[Covington Cross]]'';<ref>{{cite web|author=Kent Film Office|url=https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/1992/11/covington-cross-1992/|title=Kent Film Office Covington Cross (1992)|date=9 November 1992 }}</ref> ''[[The Other Boleyn Girl (2008 film)|The Other Boleyn Girl]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author=Kent Film Office |url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2008/02/the-other-boleyn-girl-2008/ |title=Kent Film Office The Other Boleyn Girl Film Focus|date=4 February 2008 }}</ref> ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kent Film Office |title=Kent Film Office: The Princess Bride (1987) |date=18 March 1987 |url=https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/1987/03/the-princess-bride-1987/ |access-date=23 September 2018}}</ref> the BBC TV show ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author=Kent Film Office |url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2008/02/merlin-2008/|title=Kent Film Office Merlin Film Focus|date=4 February 2008 }}</ref> ''[[The Hollow Crown (TV series)|The Hollow Crown]]'';<ref>{{cite web |author=Kent Film Office |url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2012/07/the-hollow-crown-henry-v-2012/ |title=Kent Film Office Henry V – The Hollow Crown Film Focus|date=13 July 2012 }}</ref> and the BBC’s 2015 series ''[[Wolf Hall (miniseries)|Wolf Hall]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kent Film Office |url=https://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2015/01/wolf-hall-2015/ |title=Kent Film Office Wolf Hall (2015)|date=9 January 2015 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Penshurst Place}}
*[http://www.penshurstplace.com Penshurst Place — official site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181259/http://www.gardenvisit.com/g/pens.htm Penshurst Place Garden — information on garden history]
*[http://home.freeuk.net/sidsoft/thesidneys.html Details of the Sidney family]
*[https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Penshurst%20Place&w=all Flickr photos called Penshurst Place]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130321221720/http://www.discoverthegardenofengland.com/things-to-do/penshurst-place-and-gardens-p219101 Discover the Garden of England] – Visitor information on Penshurst Place & Gardens and surrounding area
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[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1340]]
[[Category:Houses completed in the 14th century]]
[[Category:Hall houses]]
[[Category:Country houses in Kent]]
[[Category:Historic house museums in Kent]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kent]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Sevenoaks District]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses in Kent]]
[[Category:Toy museums in England]]
[[Category:Grade I listed parks and gardens in Kent]]
[[Category:Penshurst]]

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Penshurst Place