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{{Short description|Estate, grade I listed garden in England}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Stourhead
| image = Stourhead Bridge A.jpg
| caption = The Palladian bridge and Pantheon
| type = House and garden
| coordinates = {{coord|51.108|-2.3191|type:landmark_region:GB-WIL|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Stourton with Gasper]], [[Wiltshire]], England
| locmapin = Wiltshire
| map_relief = yes
| architect = [[Colen Campbell]]
| built = House: 1721–1724, destroyed in fire, rebuilt 1906<br/>Gardens: 1741–1780
| architecture = [[Neo-Palladian]]
| governing_body = [[National Trust]]
| designation1 = Grade I listed building
| designation1_offname = Stourhead House
| designation1_date = 6 January 1966
| designation1_number = 1131104
| designation2 = Historic garden
| designation2_offname = Stourhead
| designation2_date = 1 September 1987
| designation2_number = 1000471
| designation3 = Grade I listed building
| designation3_offname = The Palladian Bridge
| designation3_date = 6 January 1966
| designation3_number = 1131099
| designation4 = Grade I listed building
| designation4_offname = The Pantheon
| designation4_date = 6 January 1966
| designation4_number = 1131102
| designation5 = Grade I listed building
| designation5_offname = The Temple of Apollo
| designation5_date = 6 January 1966
| designation5_number = 1131100
}}
'''Stourhead''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|aʊər|h|ɛ|d}})<ref name=oald>{{cite web|title=Stourhead|url=http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/stourhead|work=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary|access-date=11 September 2012}}</ref> is a 1,072-hectare (2,650-acre) [[estate (house)|estate]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/ |title=National Trust – Stourhead |publisher=National Trust |access-date=19 April 2012}}</ref> at the source of the [[River Stour, Dorset|River Stour]] in the southwest of the English county of [[Wiltshire]], extending into [[Somerset]].

The estate is about {{Convert|2+1/2|mi|km|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} northwest of the town of [[Mere, Wiltshire|Mere]] and includes a [[Grade I listed]] 18th-century [[Neo-Palladian]] mansion, the village of [[Stourton, Wiltshire|Stourton]], one of the most famous gardens in the [[English landscape garden]] style, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been part-owned by the [[National Trust]] since 1946.

==House==
The [[Baron Stourton|Stourton family]] had lived at the Stourhead estate for 500 years<ref>{{harvnb|Dodd|1981|p=31}}</ref> until they sold it to Sir Thomas Meres in 1714.<ref>{{harvnb|Dodd|1981|p=33}}</ref> His son, John Meres, sold it in 1717 to [[Henry Hoare (banker)|Henry Hoare]], son of wealthy banker Sir [[Richard Hoare (banker)|Richard Hoare]].<ref>{{harvnb|Dodd|1981|p=34}}</ref> The original [[manor house]] was demolished and a new house, one of the first of its kind, was designed by [[Colen Campbell]] and built by [[Nathaniel Ireson]] between 1721 and 1725.<ref>{{harvnb|Dodd|1981|p=6}}</ref>

Over the next 200 years, the Hoare family collected many heirlooms, including a large library and art collection. In 1902, the house was gutted by fire but many of the heirlooms were saved, and the house was rebuilt in a nearly identical style.<ref name=p4>{{harvnb|Dodd|1981|p=4}}</ref>

The last Hoare family member to own the property, [[Sir Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare, 6th Baronet]], gave the house and gardens to the National Trust in 1946, one year before his death. His son and sole heir, Captain Henry Colt Arthur "Harry" Hoare, of the [[Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry]], had died of wounds received at the [[Battle of Mughar Ridge]] on 13 November 1917 during [[World War I]].<ref name=p4/> The last Hoare family member to be born at the house was Edward Hoare on 11 October 1949.

The house was recorded as [[Grade I listed]] in 1966.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1131104|desc=Stourhead House|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>

== Art collection ==
Henry Hoare's art collection is displayed at Stourhead; his acquisitions are featured in the Palladian mansion's 'Painted Alcove' or Italian Room. Hoare's collection includes many hand-coloured prints – in some cases, coloured with such skill that they were mistaken for oil paintings. These prints are engravings of the works of the Italian masters (for example [[Daniele da Volterra]], and [[Carlo Maratta]]) and the hand-colouring is attributed to a "Mr. Studio", thought to be Giacomo Van Lint, the son of Flemish painter [[Hendrik Frans van Lint|Hendrik van Lint]] (possibly in collaboration with his father).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dodd|first=Dudley|date=September 2016|title='Mr Studio's' Hand-Coloured Prints at Stourhead|journal=Print Quarterly|volume=XXXIII|issue=3}}</ref>

==Other buildings==
Although the main design for the estate at Stourhead was the work of [[Colen Campbell]], other architects were involved in its evolution through the years. [[William Benson (architect)|William Benson]], Henry Hoare's brother-in-law, was in part responsible for the building of the estate in 1719.<ref>{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=123}}</ref> Francis Cartwright, a master builder and architect, who was established as a "competent provincial designer in the Palladian manner",<ref>{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=231}}</ref> worked on Stourhead between 1749 and 1755. Cartwright was a known carver, presumably of materials such as wood and stone, and it is assumed that his contribution to Stourhead was in this capacity. Nathaniel Ireson is the master builder credited for much of the work on the Estate: it is this work that established his career, in 1720.<ref>{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=529}}</ref>

The original estate remained intact, though changes and additions were made over time. [[Henry Flitcroft]] built three temples and a tower on the property: the Temple of Ceres was added in 1744, followed by the Temple of Hercules in 1754 and the Temple of Apollo in 1765; that same year he designed Alfred's Tower, which was not built until 1772.<ref>{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=368}}</ref> During the ownership of [[Sir Richard Colt Hoare]], the mason and surveyor John Carter added an ornamental cottage to the grounds (1806)<ref name="Colvin 230">{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=230}}</ref> and the architect [[William Wilkins (architect)|William Wilkins]] created a Grecian style lodge (1816).<ref name="Colvin 230"/>

In 1840, over a century after the initial buildings were constructed, Charles Parker was hired by [[Sir Hugh Richard Hoare, 4th Baronet]] to make changes to the estate. A portico was added to the main house, along with other alterations. The design of the additions was in keeping with original plans.<ref>{{harvnb|Colvin|1997|p=1058}}</ref>

==Gardens and monuments==
The lake at Stourhead is artificially created. Following a path around the lake is meant to evoke a journey similar to that of [[Aeneas]]'s descent into the underworld.<ref name="Bergdoll 2000 77">{{harvnb|Bergdoll|2000|p=77}}</ref> In addition to Greek mythology, the layout is evocative of the "[[Genius loci|genius of the place]]", a concept expounded by [[Alexander Pope]]. Buildings and monuments are erected in remembrance of family and local history. Henry Hoare was a collector of art; one of his pieces was [[Claude Lorrain]]'s ''Aeneas at Delos'', which is thought to have inspired the pictorial design of the gardens.<ref name="Bergdoll 2000 77"/> Passages telling of Aeneas's journey are quoted in the temples surrounding the lake.

Monuments are used to frame one another; for example the Pantheon<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1131102|desc=The Pantheon|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> designed by Flitcroft entices the visitor over, but once reached, views from the opposite shore of the lake beckon.<ref name="Bergdoll 78">{{harvnb|Bergdoll|2000|p=78}}</ref> The use of the sunken path allows the landscape to continue on into neighbouring landscapes, allowing the viewer to contemplate all the surrounding panorama. The Pantheon was thought to be the most important visual feature of the gardens. It appears in many pieces of artwork owned by Hoare, depicting Aeneas's travels.<ref>{{harvnb|Woodbridge|1970|pp=31–33}}</ref> The plantings in the garden were arranged in a manner that would evoke different moods, drawing visitors through realms of thought.<ref name="Bergdoll 78"/> According to Henry Hoare, 'The greens should be ranged together in large masses as the shades are in painting: to contrast the dark masses with the light ones, and to relieve each dark mass itself with little sprinklings of lighter greens here and there.'<ref>{{harvnb|Woodbridge|1970|p=31}}</ref>

The gardens were designed by [[Henry Hoare]] II and laid out between 1741 and 1780 in a classical 18th-century design set around a large lake, achieved by damming a small stream. The inspiration behind their creation were the painters [[Claude Lorrain]], [[Poussin]], and, in particular, [[Gaspard Dughet]], who painted [[Utopia]]n-type views of Italian landscapes. An early feature, predating the lake, is the Temple of Flora (1744–46) which now contains a replica of the [[Borghese Vase]] modelled in [[Coade stone]] dating from 1770 to 1771.<ref name="Dixon">{{Cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5439182|title = Geograph:: Temple of Flora, Stourhead Estate © David Dixon cc-by-sa/2.0}}</ref><ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1318472|desc=The Temple of Flora|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> Lakeside features include the five-arched Palladian Bridge at the eastern extremity of the lake;<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1131099|desc=The Palladian Bridge|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> the Rockwork Bridge over the road to the south of the lake;<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1199172|desc=The Rockwork Bridge|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> and to the west the grotto<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1318473|desc=The Grotto and The River God's Cave|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> and the Gothic Cottage summerhouse.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1199233|desc=The Gothic Cottage|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

Also in the garden are a number of temples inspired by scenes of the Grand Tour of Europe. On one hill overlooking the gardens stand an [[obelisk]] of 1839<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1283405|desc=The Obelisk|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> and [[King Alfred's Tower]], a 50-metre-tall, brick [[folly]] designed by [[Henry Flitcroft]] in 1772; on another hill the temple of [[Apollo]]<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1131100|desc=The Temple of Apollo|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> provides a vantage point to survey the [[rhododendron]]s, water, cascades and temples. The large medieval [[Bristol High Cross]] was moved from [[Bristol]] to the gardens.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1318471|desc=The Bristol High Cross|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> The gardens are home to a large collection of trees and shrubs from around the world.

[[Sir Richard Hoare, 2nd Baronet]], the grandson of Henry Hoare II, inherited Stourhead in 1783.<ref name=p4/> He added the library wing to the mansion,<ref name=p4/> and in the garden was responsible for the building of the boathouse<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1199203|desc=Rockwork Boathouse|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> and the removal of several features that were not in keeping with the classical and gothic styles (including a Turkish Tent). He also considerably enhanced the planting – the Temple of Apollo rises from a wooded slope that was planted in Colt Hoare's time. With the antiquarian passion of the times, he had 400 ancient burial mounds dug up to inform his pioneering ''History of Ancient Wiltshire''.<ref>{{citation|title=Times Literary Supplement|date=12 October 2007|page=4}}</ref>

The gardens were listed Grade I on the [[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England|Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest]] in 1987.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1000471|desc=Stourhead: parks and gardens|access-date=13 November 2017|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

==In typography==
The [[National Trust]]'s [[National Trust (typeface)|corporate font]], designed by [[Paul Barnes (designer)|Paul Barnes]], is based on an inscription in the grotto, created around 1748.<ref name="The Drum">{{cite web|title=New look National Trust magazine rolls out|url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/2010/01/22/new-look-national-trust-magazine-rolls-out|website=The Drum|access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="Luke Charles">{{cite web|title=National Trust branding|url=http://lukecharles.com/national-trust/|publisher=Luke Charles|access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="National Trust Brand Standards">{{cite book|title=National Trust Brand Standards|date=2014|publisher=National Trust|pages=30–33|url=http://brandcentre.nationaltrust.org.uk/downloads/2/NT_brand_standards_2014.pdf}}</ref> The inscription was destroyed in error around 1960 and a replica was made from photographs.<ref name="James Mosley: A Life in Objects">{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Paul|title=James Mosley: A Life in Objects|url=http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/james-mosley-a-life-in-objects|website=Eye|access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="The Nymph and the Grot: the revival of the sanserif letter">{{cite book|last1=Mosley|first1=James|author-link=James Mosley|title=The nymph and the grot: the revival of the sanserif letter|date=1999|publisher=Friends of the St Bride Printing Library|pages=1–19|location=London|isbn=9780953520107}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:S7300180.JPG|View taken from the Grotto, of the lake in autumn colours
File:Stourhead Garden View from Above.JPG|Stourhead's lake and foliage as seen from a high hill vantage point
File:Stourhead House - geograph.org.uk - 31721.jpg|Stourhead House
File:Stourhead05.jpg|The Temple of Apollo high on a hill overlooking the gardens, based on a circular temple at [[Baalbec]]
File:Stourhead 2022-05-03a.jpg|Gatehouse
File:Temple of Flora-geograph-2911386.jpg|The Temple of Flora 1744–46 by Henry Flitcroft
File:Jardins de Stourhead - Stourhead House.JPG|Entrance front
File:Stourhead 2022-05-03l.jpg|Library
File:Stourhead garden.jpg|Bridge 1762 and Pantheon
File:Stourhead Pantheon.jpg|The Pantheon 1753–54 by Henry Flitcroft
File:Stourhead, Pantheon, interior.jpg|interior Pantheon
File:Stourhead, male statue in Pantheon, view toward roof.jpg|Statue in Pantheon
File:Stourhead - Pont pal·ladià.JPG|Temple of Flora and Bridge
File:Stourhead Grotto Cave.jpg|View from Grotto
File:Statue in the grotto at Stourhead - geograph.org.uk - 1557607.jpg|River God in Grotto
File:Sleeping Nymph, Stourhead.jpg|[[Sleeping nymph]] statue in the Grotto
File:Grotto motto, Stourhead park (9313913818).jpg|Grotto text, a quotation from Pope
File:Temple of Apollo, Stourhead - geograph.org.uk - 371744.jpg|Temple of Apollo 1757, by Henry Flitcroft
File:The lake at Stourhead - geograph.org.uk - 26526.jpg|The Lake
File:Stourhead Gardens in the spring - geograph.org.uk - 65797.jpg|Rhododendrons in flower
File:Stourhead, The Temple of Apollo - geograph.org.uk - 211701.jpg|Temple of Apollo from the lake
File:King Alfred's Tower view from west.jpg|[[King Alfred's Tower]] {{Circa|1770}} by Henry Flitcroft
File:Stourhead, Watch Cottage.jpg|Gothic Cottage {{Circa|1780}} altered 1806
File:Stourhead 05 (4652484149).jpg|St Peter's Pump 15th century, relocated from Bristol to Stourhead 1766
File:The Boathouse - geograph.org.uk - 437236.jpg|Boathouse
File:The Convent - geograph.org.uk - 886196.jpg|The Convent c.1765
File:The Obelisk at Stourhead - geograph.org.uk - 963383.jpg|The Obelisk 1839–40
File:Stourton, Bristol High Cross - geograph.org.uk - 484538.jpg|[[Bristol High Cross]] 1373 relocated to Stourhead 1764
File:Stourhead lake in midsummer - panoramio.jpg|The Lake
</gallery>

== References ==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography
* {{cite book| last=Bergdoll| first=Barry| title=European Architecture: 1750–1890| year=2000| publisher=Oxford University Press| location=Oxford| isbn=978-0-19-284222-0| pages=[https://archive.org/details/europeanarchitec0000berg/page/77 77]| edition=1st| url=https://archive.org/details/europeanarchitec0000berg/page/77}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Howard Colvin|first=H.M.|last=Colvin|title=A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840|date=1997|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Haven|edition=3rd|isbn=978-0-300-07207-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Dodd|first=Dudley|title=Stourhead|publisher=The National Trust|date=1981}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Christopher Hussey (historian)|first=C.|last=Hussey|title=English country houses: Mid Georgian, 1760–1800|date=1956|pages=234–8}}
* {{cite book|last=Woodbridge|first=Kenneth|orig-year=1982|title=The Stourhead Landscape|publisher=National Trust|date=2001}}
* {{cite book| last=Woodbridge| first=Kenneth| title=Landscape and Antiquity Aspects of English Culture at Stourhead: 1718–1838| url=https://archive.org/details/landscapeantiqui0000wood| url-access=registration| year=1970| publisher=Clarendon| location=Oxford| isbn=978-0-19-817177-5}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead Stourhead] – National Trust
*[http://www.stourhead.com/estate/home.html Stourhead (Western) Estate]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100921115400/http://dicamillocompanion.com/houses_detail.asp?id=1874 Stourhead entry from ''The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses'']
*[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_sum_of_all_paintings/Collection/Stourhead_House Wikidata list of paintings on view at Stourhead]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Buildings by Colen Campbell]]
[[Category:Country houses in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:English gardens in English Landscape Garden style]]
[[Category:Georgian architecture in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Grade I listed parks and gardens in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Historic house museums in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Hoare family]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1725]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Palladian architecture in England]]
[[Category:1725 establishments in Great Britain]]

Stourhead - Revision history

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