108-628: Frogmore House is a 17th-century English country house owned by the Crown Estate . It is a historic Grade I listed building. The house is located on the Frogmore estate, which is situated within the grounds of the Home Park in Windsor , Berkshire . Half a mile south of Windsor Castle , Frogmore was let to a number of tenants until the late 18th century, when it was used intermittently as
216-439: A "refuge" away from court life where they could practise their pastimes of "painting, drawing, needlework, japanning , reading and 'botanising'". The Queen's interest in botany is reflected in a number of the rooms at Frogmore, including a room decorated with painted flowers by the artist Mary Moser . Great attention was paid to the gardens, where the queen planted a number of Spanish chestnut, laburnum and birch trees and installed
324-521: A decision over the Parliament Bill. Despite her personal views, Alexandra supported her son's reluctant agreement to Prime Minister H. H. Asquith 's request to create sufficient Liberal peers after a general election if the Lords continued to block the legislation. From Edward's death, Alexandra was queen mother , being a dowager queen and the mother of the reigning monarch. She did not attend
432-762: A few days before the scheduled coronation in June 1902, the King became seriously ill with appendicitis . Alexandra deputised for him at a military parade and attended the Royal Ascot races without him, in an attempt to prevent public alarm. Eventually, the coronation had to be postponed and Edward had an operation performed by Frederick Treves of the London Hospital to drain the infected appendix. After his recovery, Alexandra and Edward were crowned together in August:
540-428: A fortunate few; it was the centre of its own world, providing employment to hundreds of people in the vicinity of its estate . In previous eras, when state benefits were unheard of, those working on an estate were among the most fortunate, receiving secured employment and rent-free accommodation. At the summit of this category of people was the indoor staff of the country house. Unlike many of their contemporaries prior to
648-544: A memorandum, distributed to senior British ministers and military personnel, warning against the planned exchange of the British North Sea island of Heligoland for the German colony of Zanzibar , pointing out Heligoland's strategic significance and that it could be used either by Germany to launch an attack, or by Britain to contain German aggression. Despite this, the exchange went ahead. The Germans fortified
756-529: A mixture of high architecture , often as interpreted by a local architect or surveyor, and determined by practicality as much as by the whims of architectural taste. An example of this is Brympton d'Evercy in Somerset, a house of many periods that is unified architecturally by the continuing use of the same mellow, local Ham Hill stone . The fashionable William Kent redesigned Rousham House only to have it quickly and drastically altered to provide space for
864-414: A number of follies . The house was in good condition, but to make it fit for royal inhabitants, James Wyatt was employed to enlarge and modernise Frogmore House. Between 1795 and 1804, Wyatt enlarged the second floor, added flanking pavilions to the north and south of the house and extended to make room for a new dining room and library. As part of developing Frogmore's gardens, Queen Charlotte had built
972-752: A positive light, describing the crowds as "enthusiastic". As part of the same visit, she received a Doctorate in Music from Trinity College Dublin . Alexandra was deeply saddened by the death of her eldest son, Prince Albert Victor, in 1892. His room and possessions were kept exactly as he had left them, much as those of his grandfather Prince Albert were left after his death in 1861. Alexandra said, "I have buried my angel and with him my happiness." Surviving letters between Alexandra and her children indicate that they were mutually devoted. In 1894, her brother-in-law Alexander III of Russia died and her nephew Nicholas II of Russia became Tsar . Alexandra's widowed sister,
1080-610: A previous lover. Alexandra shared a draughty attic bedroom with her sister, Dagmar , made her own clothes, and waited at table along with her sisters. Alexandra and Dagmar were given swimming lessons by the Swedish pioneer of women's swimming, Nancy Edberg . At Bernstorff, Alexandra grew into a young woman; she was taught English by the English chaplain at Copenhagen and was confirmed in Christiansborg Palace . She
1188-564: A residence for several members of the British royal family . Queen Charlotte spent much time on the estate, and it was later the home of Queen Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent and Strathern (whose large mausoleum is in a part of the estate's 33 acre gardens). Although occasionally used as a retreat into the early 20th century, the house has been largely unoccupied since 1872. Queen Mary often stayed there early in her marriage and for
SECTION 10
#17327833985591296-441: A simpler retreat house in 1801, now known as Frogmore Cottage . When Charlotte died in 1818, she left the house to her daughter Princess Augusta Sophia , who lived there until her death in 1840. Following Augusta Sophia's death, Queen Victoria gave Frogmore to her mother, the Duchess of Kent . During this time, the house was subject to a number of alterations. The Duchess's taste differed greatly from Queen Charlotte's and much of
1404-759: A stiff leg. This came to be known as the "Alexandra limp". She used predominantly the London fashion houses; her favourite was Redfern's , but she shopped occasionally at Doucet and Fromont of Paris. Alexandra has been portrayed on television by Deborah Grant and Helen Ryan in Edward the Seventh , Ann Firbank in Lillie , Maggie Smith in All the King's Men , and Bibi Andersson in The Lost Prince . She
1512-403: A wave of a hand or by claiming that she had not heard. Alexandra hid a small scar on her neck, which was probably the result of a childhood operation, by wearing choker necklaces and high necklines, setting fashions which were adopted for fifty years. Alexandra's effect on fashion was so profound that society ladies even copied her limping gait, after her serious illness in 1867 left her with
1620-748: A year later on 9 September 1862 (after his affair with Nellie Clifden and the death of his father Prince Albert), Albert Edward proposed to Alexandra at the Royal Castle of Laeken , the home of his great-uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium . A few months later, Alexandra travelled from Denmark to Britain aboard the royal yacht Victoria and Albert and arrived in Gravesend, Kent , on 7 March 1863. Sir Arthur Sullivan composed music for her arrival and Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson , wrote an ode in Alexandra's honour: Sea King's daughter from over
1728-510: Is called a castle, but not all buildings with the name "castle" are fortified (for example Highclere Castle in Hampshire ). The term stately home is subject to debate, and avoided by historians and other academics. As a description of a country house, the term was first used in a poem by Felicia Hemans , "The Homes of England", originally published in Blackwood's Magazine in 1827. In
1836-473: Is politics; they talk politics; and they make politics, quite spontaneously. There are no written terms for distinguishing between vast country palaces and comparatively small country houses; the descriptive terms, which can include castle , manor and court , provide no firm clue and are often only used because of a historical connection with the site of such a building. Therefore, for ease or explanation, Britain's country houses can be categorised according to
1944-657: Is the ITV series Downton Abbey . Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions , and Empress of India , from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of Edward VII . Alexandra's family had been relatively obscure until 1852, when her father, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg ,
2052-547: The Boer War . During the Boer War, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, later renamed Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps , was founded under Royal Warrant. Alexandra had little understanding of money. The management of her finances was left in the hands of her loyal comptroller , Sir Dighton Probyn VC , who undertook a similar role for her husband. In the words of her grandson, Edward VIII (later
2160-682: The First World War the custom of hanging the banners of foreign princes invested with Britain's highest order of knighthood, the Order of the Garter , in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , came under criticism, as the German members of the Order were fighting against Britain. Alexandra joined calls to "have down those hateful German banners". Driven by public opinion, but against his own wishes,
2268-643: The Salic law prevented inheritance through the female line, whereas no such restrictions applied in Denmark. Holstein, being predominantly German, proclaimed independence and called in the aid of Prussia . In 1852, the major European powers called a conference in London to discuss the Danish succession. An uneasy peace was agreed, which included the provision that Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg would be Frederick's heir in all his dominions and
SECTION 20
#17327833985592376-619: The Yellow Palace , an 18th-century town house at 18 Amaliegade , immediately adjacent to the Amalienborg Palace complex in Copenhagen . Her father was Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and her mother was Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel . She had five siblings: Frederick , William (later George I of Greece), Dagmar (later Empress of Russia), Thyra and Valdemar . Her father's family
2484-404: The death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Albert Edward became King-Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as queen-empress. She became queen mother on Edward VII's death in 1910, at which point their son George V acceded to the throne. Alexandra died aged 80 in 1925. Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia, or "Alix", as her immediate family knew her, was born at
2592-550: The wedding reception after the marriage of the Queen's grandson, Peter Phillips , to Autumn Kelly in May 2008. It was also used for the reception after the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018, and for the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor with Thomas Kingston in May 2019. During the 1980s, the house underwent extensive restoration, revealing the lost early 18th-century wall paintings by Louis Laguerre . Work
2700-412: The 16th century and was then leased to a series of Crown tenants. Construction on Frogmore House was not begun until 1680 for tenants Anne Aldworth and Thomas May. Work continued until 1684 and is thought to be the work of Hugh May , an architect employed by Charles II at Windsor Castle and uncle of tenant Thomas May. The house's first royal resident was George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland ,
2808-512: The 1850s, with the English economy booming, new mansions were built in one of the many revivalist architectural styles popular throughout the 19th century. The builders of these new houses were able to take advantage of the political unrest in Europe that gave rise to a large trade in architectural salvage. This new wave of country house building is exemplified by the Rothschild properties in
2916-419: The 18th century with houses such as Castle Howard , Kedleston Hall and Holkham Hall . Such building reached its zenith from the late 17th century until the mid-18th century; these houses were often completely built or rebuilt in their entirety by one eminent architect in the most fashionable architectural style of the day and often have a suite of Baroque state apartments, typically in enfilade , reserved for
3024-488: The 20th century, the term was later popularised in a song by Noël Coward , and in modern usage it often implies a country house that is open to visitors at least some of the time. In England, the terms "country house" and "stately home" are sometimes used vaguely and interchangeably; however, many country houses such as Ascott in Buckinghamshire were deliberately designed not to be stately, and to harmonise with
3132-474: The 20th century, they slept in proper beds, wore well-made adequate clothes and received three proper meals a day, plus a small wage. In an era when many still died from malnutrition or lack of medicine, the long working hours were a small price to pay. As a result of the aristocratic habit of only marrying within the aristocracy, and whenever possible to a sole heiress, many owners of country houses owned several country mansions, and would visit each according to
3240-595: The Dowager Empress of Russia, leant heavily on her for support; Alexandra, who had gone to Russia accompanied by her husband, the Prince of Wales, slept, prayed, and stayed beside her sister for the next two weeks until Alexander's burial. Alexandra and her husband stayed on for the wedding of Nicholas to their niece Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine , who had taken the Russian name Alexandra Feodorovna and became
3348-465: The Dowager Empress of Russia, purchased a villa north of Copenhagen, Hvidøre , as a private getaway. Alexandra was denied access to the King's briefing papers and excluded from some of his foreign tours to prevent her meddling in diplomatic matters. She was deeply distrustful of Germans, particularly her nephew German Emperor Wilhelm II , and she invariably opposed anything that favoured German expansion or interests. For example, in 1890 Alexandra wrote
Frogmore House - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-524: The Duke of Windsor), "Her generosity was a source of embarrassment to her financial advisers. Whenever she received a letter soliciting money, a cheque would be sent by the next post, regardless of the authenticity of the mendicant and without having the case investigated." Though she was not always extravagant (she had her old stockings darned for re-use and her old dresses were recycled as furniture covers), she would dismiss protests about her heavy spending with
3564-486: The English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house . This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country. However, the term also encompasses houses that were, and often still are, the full-time residence for the landed gentry who dominated rural Britain until the Reform Act 1832 . Frequently,
3672-599: The Greeks. Alexandra spent the next three years largely parted from her two sons as the boys were sent on a worldwide cruise as part of their naval and general education. The farewell was very tearful and, as shown by her regular letters, she missed them terribly. In 1881, Alexandra and Albert Edward travelled to Saint Petersburg after the assassination of Alexander II of Russia , both to represent Britain and so that Alexandra could provide comfort to her sister, who had become tsarina . Alexandra undertook many public duties; in
3780-614: The King by the Archbishop of Canterbury , Frederick Temple , and the Queen by the Archbishop of York , William Dalrymple Maclagan . Despite being queen, Alexandra's duties changed little, and she kept many of the same retainers. Alexandra's Woman of the Bedchamber , Charlotte Knollys , the daughter of Sir William Knollys, served Alexandra loyally for many years. On 10 December 1903, Knollys woke to find her bedroom full of smoke. She roused Alexandra and shepherded her to safety. In
3888-433: The King had the banners removed; but to Alexandra's dismay, he had taken down not only "those vile Prussian banners" but also those of her Hessian relations who were, in her opinion, "simply soldiers or vassals under that brutal German Emperor's orders". On 17 September 1916, she was at Sandringham during a Zeppelin air raid, but far worse was to befall other members of her family. In Russia, her nephew Tsar Nicholas II
3996-597: The Prince of Wales refused to speak to or see him. Alexandra spent the spring of 1877 in Greece recuperating from a period of ill health and visiting her brother King George of Greece. During the Russo-Turkish War , Alexandra was clearly partial against Turkey and towards Russia, where her sister was married to the Tsarevitch, and she lobbied for a revision of the border between Greece and Turkey in favour of
4104-446: The Queen to be present at their births. During the birth of her third child in 1867, the added complication of a bout of rheumatic fever threatened Alexandra's life and left her with a permanent limp. In public, Alexandra was dignified and charming; in private, affectionate and jolly. She enjoyed many social activities, including dancing and ice-skating, and was an expert horsewoman and tandem driver . She also enjoyed hunting , to
4212-615: The Russian February Revolution . Xenia was "very grateful" that her cousin let her stay at Frogmore. By March 1937, Xenia had moved from Frogmore Cottage to Wilderness House in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace . Since 1928, most members of the royal family, except for sovereigns and their consorts, have been interred at the Royal Burial Ground , on the Frogmore Estate. In 1997, following
4320-796: The aid of two walking sticks, and was already pregnant with her fourth child. The royal couple undertook a six-month tour taking in Austria , Egypt and Greece over 1868 and 1869, which included visits to her brother George I of Greece , to the Crimean battlefields and, for her only, to the harem of the Khedive Ismail . In Turkey she became the first woman to sit down to dinner with the Sultan ( Abdulaziz ). The Waleses made Sandringham House their preferred residence, with Marlborough House their London base. Biographers agree that their marriage
4428-595: The area of Denmark by two-fifths. To the great irritation of Queen Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, Alexandra and Albert Edward supported the Danish side in the war. The Prussian conquest of former Danish lands heightened Alexandra's profound dislike of the Germans, a feeling which stayed with her for the rest of her life. Alexandra's first child, Albert Victor , was born two months premature in early 1864. Alexandra showed devotion to her children: "She
Frogmore House - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-467: The best-known examples of the showy prodigy house , often built with the intention of attracting the monarch to visit. By the reign of Charles I , Inigo Jones and his form of Palladianism had changed the face of English domestic architecture completely, with the use of turrets and towers as an architectural reference to the earlier castles and fortified houses completely disappearing. The Palladian style, in various forms, interrupted briefly by baroque ,
4644-493: The birth of a son in April 1871, but the infant died the next day. Despite Alexandra's pleas for privacy, Queen Victoria insisted on announcing a period of court mourning, which led unsympathetic elements of the press to describe the birth as "a wretched abortion" and the funeral arrangements as "sickening mummery", even though the infant was not buried in state with other members of the royal family at Windsor, but in strict privacy in
4752-406: The churchyard at Sandringham, where he had lived out his brief life. For eight months over 1875–76, the Prince of Wales was absent from Britain on a tour of India, but to her dismay Alexandra was left behind. The prince had planned an all-male group and intended to spend much of the time hunting and shooting. During the prince's tour, one of his friends who was travelling with him, Lord Aylesford ,
4860-524: The circumstances of their creation. The great houses are the largest of the country houses; in truth palaces, built by the country's most powerful – these were designed to display their owners' power or ambitions to power. Really large unfortified or barely fortified houses began to take over from the traditional castles of the crown and magnates during the Tudor period, with vast houses such as Hampton Court Palace and Burghley House , and continued until
4968-402: The coronation of her son and daughter-in-law in 1911 since it was not customary for a crowned queen to attend the coronation of another king or queen, but otherwise continued the public side of her life, devoting time to her charitable causes. One such cause was Alexandra Rose Day , where artificial roses made by people with disabilities were sold in aid of hospitals by women volunteers. During
5076-472: The country saw the building of the first of the unfortified great houses. Henry VIII 's Dissolution of the Monasteries saw many former ecclesiastical properties granted to the King's favourites, who then converted them into private country houses. Woburn Abbey , Forde Abbey and many other mansions with abbey or priory in their name became private houses during this period. Other terms used in
5184-527: The decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia , Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , furnished what had previously been Queen Charlotte's library and the Duchess of York's dining room with a selection of items from the vessel. This included a mahogany table constructed for Britannia c. 1950. The house continued to be used by the royal family for entertaining and it was used as a venue for
5292-473: The decoration from her time was lost. The house was used regularly between 1841 and the death of the Duchess of Kent in 1861, with Queen Victoria often visiting and a number of private family functions being held there. Victoria wrote of the house: "All is peace and quiet and you only hear the hum of the bees, the singing of the birds and the occasional crowing and cackling from the Poultry Yard!" Frogmore
5400-428: The design of the wing around the next corner. These varying "improvements", often criticised at the time, today are the qualities that make English country houses unique. Wealthy and influential people, often bored with their formal duties, go to the country in order to get out of London, the ugliest and most uncomfortable city in the world; they invented the long week-end to stay away as long as possible. Their métier
5508-460: The dismay of Queen Victoria, who asked her to stop, but without success. Even after the birth of her first child, she continued to socialise much as before, which led to some friction between the Queen and the young couple, exacerbated by Alexandra's loathing of Prussians and the Queen's partiality towards them. Albert Edward and Alexandra visited Ireland in April 1868. After her illness the previous year, she had only just begun to walk again without
SECTION 50
#17327833985595616-567: The divorce was to proceed they would subpoena her husband as a witness and implicate him in the scandal. Distressed at their threats, and following the advice of Sir William Knollys and the Duchess of Teck , Alexandra informed the Queen, who then wrote to the Prince of Wales. The prince was incensed. Eventually, the Blandfords and the Aylesfords both separated privately. Although Lord Randolph Churchill later apologised, for years afterwards
5724-427: The early 1970s, hundreds of country houses were demolished . Houses that survived destruction are now mostly Grade I or II listed as buildings of historic interest with restrictions on restoration and re-creation work. However such work is usually very expensive. Several houses have been restored, some over many years. For example at Copped Hall where the restoration started in 1995 continues to this day. Although
5832-438: The end of the following year, Alexandra's father had acceded to the throne of Denmark, her brother William had become King George I of Greece , her sister Dagmar was engaged to Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia , and Alexandra had given birth to her first child. Her father's accession gave rise to further conflict over the fate of Schleswig-Holstein . The German Confederation successfully invaded Denmark, reducing
5940-819: The existence of any serious rift. Nevertheless, the prince was severely criticised from many quarters of society for his apparent lack of interest in her very serious illness with rheumatic fever . Throughout their marriage Albert Edward continued to keep company with other women, including the actress Lillie Langtry , Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick , humanitarian Agnes Keyser , and society matron Alice Keppel . Alexandra knew about most of these relationships and later permitted Alice Keppel to visit her husband as he lay dying. Alexandra herself remained faithful throughout her marriage. An increasing degree of deafness, caused by hereditary otosclerosis , led to Alexandra's social isolation; she spent more time at home with her children and pets. Her sixth and final pregnancy ended with
6048-744: The first queen consort to visit the British House of Commons during a debate. In a remarkable departure from precedent, for two hours she sat in the Ladies' Gallery overlooking the chamber while the Parliament Bill , to remove the right of the House of Lords to veto legislation, was debated. Privately, Alexandra disagreed with the bill. Shortly afterwards, she left to visit her brother George in Corfu . While there, she received news that King Edward
6156-414: The formal business of the counties was transacted in these country houses, having functional antecedents in manor houses . With large numbers of indoor and outdoor staff, country houses were important as places of employment for many rural communities. In turn, until the agricultural depressions of the 1870s , the estates, of which country houses were the hub, provided their owners with incomes. However,
6264-479: The home counties and Bletchley Park (rebuilt in several styles, and famous for its code-breaking role in World War II). The slow decline of the English country house coincided with the rise not just of taxation, but also of modern industry, along with the agricultural depression of the 1870s. By 1880, this had led some owners into financial shortfalls as they tried to balance maintenance of their estates with
6372-435: The household. These houses were always an alternative residence to a London house. During the 18th and 19th centuries, for the highest echelons of English society, the country house served as a place for relaxing, hunting and running the country with one's equals at the end of the week, with some houses having their own theatre where performances were staged. The country house, however, was not just an oasis of pleasure for
6480-443: The illegitimate son of Charles II and Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland . The duke died in 1716, but his wife continued to live at Frogmore until her death in 1738. There were a number of successive tenants, including Edward Walpole , until 1792 when George III purchased the house for his wife, Queen Charlotte . Queen Charlotte used the house as a country retreat for herself and her unmarried daughters. They used Frogmore as
6588-556: The immediately preceding war then in World War I, were now paying far higher rates of tax, and agricultural incomes had dropped. Thus, the solution for many was to hold contents auctions and then demolish the house and sell its stone, fireplaces , and panelling . This is what happened to many of Britain's finest houses. Despite this slow decline, so necessary was the country house for entertaining and prestige that in 1917 Viscount Lee of Fareham donated his country house Chequers to
SECTION 60
#17327833985596696-438: The income they provided. Some relied on funds from secondary sources such as banking and trade while others, like the severely impoverished Duke of Marlborough , sought to marry American heiresses to save their country houses and lifestyles. The ultimate demise began immediately following World War I . The members of the huge staff required to maintain large houses had either left to fight and never returned, departed to work in
6804-490: The island and, in the words of Robert Ensor and as Alexandra had predicted, it "became the keystone of Germany's maritime position for offence as well as for defence". The Frankfurter Zeitung was outspoken in its condemnation of Alexandra and her sister, the Dowager Empress, saying that the pair were "the centre of the international anti-German conspiracy". Alexandra despised and distrusted Emperor Wilhelm, calling him "inwardly our enemy" in 1900. In 1910, Alexandra became
6912-491: The landscape, while some of the great houses such as Kedleston Hall and Holkham Hall were built as "power houses" to dominate the landscape, and were most certainly intended to be "stately" and impressive. In his book Historic Houses: Conversations in Stately Homes , the author and journalist Robert Harling documents nineteen "stately homes"; these range in size from the vast Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard to
7020-415: The late 19th and early 20th centuries were the swansong of the traditional English country house lifestyle. Increased taxation and the effects of World War I led to the demolition of hundreds of houses ; those that remained had to adapt to survive. While a château or a Schloss can be a fortified or unfortified building, a country house, similar to an Ansitz , is usually unfortified. If fortified, it
7128-544: The latter two are ducal palaces, Montacute, although built by a Master of the Rolls to Queen Elizabeth I, was occupied for the next 400 years by his descendants, who were gentry without a London townhouse , rather than aristocracy. They finally ran out of funds in the early 20th century. However, the vast majority of English country houses, often owned at different times by gentlemen and peers , are an evolution of one or more styles with facades and wings in different styles in
7236-655: The minuscule Ebberston Hall , and in architecture from the Jacobean Renaissance of Hatfield House to the eccentricities of Sezincote . The book's collection of stately homes also includes George IV's Brighton town palace, the Royal Pavilion . The country houses of England have evolved over the last five hundred years. Before this time, larger houses were usually fortified, reflecting the position of their owners as feudal lords , de facto overlords of their manors . The Tudor period of stability in
7344-416: The most eminent guests, the entertainment of whom was of paramount importance in establishing and maintaining the power of the owner. The common denominator of this category of English country houses is that they were designed to be lived in with a certain degree of ceremony and pomp. It was not unusual for the family to have a small suite of rooms for withdrawing in privacy away from the multitude that lived in
7452-399: The munitions factories, or filled the void left by the fighting men in other workplaces. Of those who returned after the war, many left the countryside for better-paid jobs in towns. The final blow for many country houses came following World War II ; having been requisitioned during the war, they were returned to the owners in poor repair. Many estate owners, having lost their heirs, if not in
7560-468: The names of houses to describe their origin or importance include palace , castle , court , hall , mansion , park , house , manor , and place . It was during the second half of the reign of Elizabeth I , and under her successor, James I , that the first architect-designed mansions, thought of today as epitomising the English country house, began to make their appearance. Burghley House , Longleat House , and Hatfield House are among
7668-454: The nation for the use of a prime minister who might not possess one of his or her own. Chequers still fulfills that need today as do both Chevening House and Dorneywood , donated for sole use of high-ranking ministers of the Crown. Today, many country houses have become hotels, schools, hospitals and museums, while others have survived as conserved ruins, but from the early 20th century until
7776-554: The new tsarina. With the death of her mother-in-law , Queen Victoria, in 1901, Alexandra became queen-empress with her husband's accession as Edward VII. Just two months later, her son George and daughter-in-law Mary left on an extensive tour of the empire, leaving their young children in the care of Alexandra and Edward, who doted on their grandchildren. On George's return, preparations for Edward and Alexandra's coronation in Westminster Abbey were well in hand, but just
7884-468: The owner of a "power house" or a small manor, the inhabitants of the English country house have become collectively referred to as the ruling class, because this is exactly what they did in varying degrees, whether by having high political influence and power in national government, or in the day-to-day running of their own localities or "county" in such offices as lord/deputy lieutenant , magistrates , or occasionally even clergy. The Country house mystery
7992-529: The owner's twelve children. Canons Ashby , home to poet John Dryden 's family, is another example of architectural evolution: a medieval farmhouse enlarged in the Tudor era around a courtyard, given grandiose plaster ceilings in the Stuart period , and then having Georgian façades added in the 18th century. The whole is a glorious mismatch of styles and fashions that seamlessly blend together. These could be called
8100-512: The ownership or management of some houses has been transferred to a private trust , most notably at Chatsworth , other houses have transferred art works and furnishings under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme to ownership by various national or local museums, but retained for display in the building. This enables the former owners to offset tax, the payment of which would otherwise have necessitated
8208-527: The prior claims of others (who included Christian's own mother-in-law , brother-in-law and wife) were surrendered. Prince Christian was given the title Prince of Denmark and his family moved into a new official residence, Bernstorff Palace . Although the family's status had risen, there was little or no increase in their income; and they did not participate in court life at Copenhagen, for they refused to meet Frederick's third wife and former mistress, Louise Rasmussen , because she had an illegitimate child by
8316-462: The private sale of the art works. For example, tapestries and furniture at Houghton Hall are now owned by the Victoria and Albert Museum . In addition, increasing numbers of country houses hold licences for weddings and civil ceremonies . Another source of income is to use the house as a venue for parties, a film location or a corporate entertainment venue. While many country houses are open to
8424-472: The public and derive income through that means, they remain homes, in some cases inhabited by the descendants of their original owners. The lifestyles of those living and working in a country house in the early 20th century were recreated in a BBC television programme, The Edwardian Country House , filmed at Manderston House in Scotland. Another television programme which features life in country houses
8532-405: The rest of her life in the 20th century took a special interest in furnishing the house with family mementos. Keepsakes from the royal yacht HMY Britannia following its decommissioning were placed there in the late 20th century by Prince Philip . In the 21st century, it is used by the royal family to host both private and official events. The Frogmore estate has been under royal ownership since
8640-467: The sea, Alexandra! Saxon and Norman and Dane are we, But all of us Danes in our welcome of thee, Alexandra! Thomas Longley , the Archbishop of Canterbury , married the couple on 10 March 1863 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . The choice of venue was criticised. As the ceremony took place outside London, the press complained that large public crowds would not be able to view the spectacle. Prospective guests thought it awkward to get to and, as
8748-519: The season: Grouse shooting in Scotland , pheasant shooting and fox hunting in England. The Earl of Rosebery , for instance, had Dalmeny House in Scotland, Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, and another house near Epsom just for the racing season. For many, this way of life, which began a steady decline in 1914, continued well into the 20th century, and for a few continues to this day. In
8856-444: The second category of Britain's country houses are those that belonged to the squirearchy or landed gentry . These tend either to have evolved from medieval hall houses, with rooms added as required, or were purpose-built by relatively unknown local architects. Smaller, and far greater in number than the "power houses", these were still the epicentre of their own estate, but were often the only residence of their owner. However, whether
8964-493: The true English country house. Wilton House , one of England's grandest houses, is in a remarkably similar vein; although, while the Drydens, mere squires, at Canons Ashby employed a local architect, at Wilton the mighty Earls of Pembroke employed the finest architects of the day: first Holbein , 150 years later Inigo Jones, and then Wyatt followed by Chambers. Each employed a different style of architecture, seemingly unaware of
9072-532: The venue was small, some people who had expected invitations were disappointed. The Danes were dismayed because only Alexandra's closest relations were invited. The British court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, so ladies were restricted to wearing grey, lilac, or mauve. As the couple left Windsor for their honeymoon at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight , they were cheered by the schoolboys of neighbouring Eton College , including Lord Randolph Churchill . By
9180-454: The words of Grand Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , "We must give credit to old Charlotte for really saving [Alexandra's] life." Alexandra again looked after her grandchildren when George and Mary went on a second tour, this time to British India , over the winter of 1905–06. Her father, Christian IX of Denmark, died that January. Eager to retain their family links, both to each other and to Denmark, in 1907 Alexandra and her sister,
9288-400: The words of Queen Victoria, "to spare me the strain and fatigue of functions. She opens bazaars, attends concerts, visits hospitals in my place ... she not only never complains, but endeavours to prove that she has enjoyed what to another would be a tiresome duty." She took a particular interest in the London Hospital , visiting it regularly. Joseph Merrick , the so-called "Elephant Man",
9396-406: Was a distant cadet branch of the Danish royal House of Oldenburg , which was descended from King Christian III . Although they were of royal blood, the family lived a comparatively modest life. They did not possess great wealth; her father's income from an army commission was about £ 800 per year, and their house was a rent-free grace and favour property. Occasionally, Hans Christian Andersen
9504-520: Was a popular genre of English detective fiction in the 1920s and 1930s; set in the residence of the gentry and often involving a murder in a country house temporarily isolated by a snowstorm or similar with the suspects all at a weekend house party. Following the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, a third category of country houses was built as newly rich industrialists and bankers were eager to display their wealth and taste. By
9612-538: Was also done on the Green Pavilion , in an effort to restore it to its appearance during the occupation of Queen Charlotte. Work was done on the cornice, dado and chimneypiece, which retain Wyatt's "characteristically crisp detailing." The restorations cost a total of £2.5 million by the time they were completed in 1990. English country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in
9720-519: Was appointed king of Greece as George I . Alexandra was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1901, the longest anyone has ever held that title, and became generally popular; her style of dress and bearing were copied by fashion-conscious women. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she unsuccessfully attempted to sway the opinion of British ministers and her husband's family to favour Greek and Danish interests. Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work. On
9828-612: Was born on the estate in 1900. From 1902 to 1910, the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King George V and Queen Mary ) were frequent residents. From 1925 until her death in 1953, Mary collected and arranged in the house souvenirs of the royal family, describing it as "a 'family' souvenir museum as well as a museum of 'bygones' and of interesting odds and ends." During this time, George V allowed his first cousin Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia to live at Frogmore Cottage by 1925 after she escaped
9936-476: Was chosen with the consent of the major European powers to succeed his second cousin Frederick VII as King of Denmark . At the age of sixteen, Alexandra was chosen as the future wife of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the son and heir apparent of Queen Victoria . The couple married eighteen months later in 1863, the year in which her father became king of Denmark as Christian IX and her brother William
10044-402: Was described by gossips as having her face "enamelled". She made no more trips abroad, and her health worsened. In 1920, a blood vessel in her eye burst, leaving her with temporary partial blindness. Towards the end of her life, her memory and speech became impaired. She died on 20 November 1925 at Sandringham House from a heart attack. Queen Alexandra lay in state at Westminster Abbey and
10152-533: Was devout throughout her life, and followed high church practice. Given that Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales , would reach the age of twenty in November 1861, his parents Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert , were taking steps to find a bride for him. They enlisted the aid of their eldest (and already-married) daughter, Crown Princess Victoria of Prussia , in seeking a suitable candidate. Alexandra
10260-470: Was in her glory when she could run up to the nursery, put on a flannel apron, wash the children herself and see them asleep in their little beds." Albert Edward and Alexandra had six children in total: Albert Victor, George, Louise , Victoria , Maud , and Alexander . All of Alexandra's children were apparently born prematurely; biographer Richard Hough thought Alexandra deliberately misled Queen Victoria as to her probable delivery dates, as she did not want
10368-453: Was in many ways a happy one; however, some have asserted that Albert Edward did not give his wife as much attention as she would have liked and that they gradually became estranged, until his attack of typhoid fever (the disease which was believed to have killed his father) in late 1871 brought about a reconciliation. This is disputed by others, who point out Alexandra's frequent pregnancies throughout this period and use family letters to deny
10476-489: Was interred on 28 November next to her husband in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . The Queen Alexandra Memorial by Alfred Gilbert was unveiled on Alexandra Rose Day 8 June 1932 at Marlborough Gate, London. An ode in her memory, "So many true princesses who have gone" , composed by the then Master of the King's Musick Sir Edward Elgar to words by the Poet Laureate John Masefield ,
10584-425: Was invited to call and tell the children stories before bedtime. In 1848, Christian VIII of Denmark died and his only son Frederick acceded to the throne. Frederick was childless, had been through two unsuccessful marriages, and was assumed to be infertile. A succession crisis arose because Frederick ruled in both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein , and the succession rules of each territory differed. In Holstein ,
10692-435: Was named after her, after a patent letter was granted by the King, her husband Edward VII. British She was the first woman since 1488 to be made a Lady of the Garter . Foreign Queen Alexandra's arms upon the accession of her husband in 1901 were the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom impaled with the arms of her father, the King of Denmark. The shield is surmounted by the imperial crown, and supported by
10800-596: Was not their first choice because the Danes were at loggerheads with the Prussians over the Schleswig-Holstein Question , and most of the British royal family 's relations were German. Eventually, after rejecting other possibilities, they settled on her as "the only one to be chosen". On 24 September 1861, Crown Princess Victoria introduced her brother Albert Edward to Alexandra at Speyer . Almost
10908-535: Was one of the patients whom she met. Crowds usually cheered Alexandra rapturously, but during a visit to Ireland in 1885, she suffered a rare moment of public hostility when visiting the City of Cork , a hotbed of Irish nationalism . She and her husband were booed by a crowd of two to three thousand people brandishing sticks and black flags. She smiled her way through the ordeal, which the British press still portrayed in
11016-431: Was overthrown and he, his wife and their children were killed by revolutionaries . Alexandra's sister, the Dowager Empress, was rescued from Russia in 1919 by HMS Marlborough and brought to England, where she lived for some time with Alexandra. Alexandra retained a youthful appearance into her senior years, but during the war her age caught up with her. She took to wearing elaborate veils and heavy makeup, which
11124-556: Was portrayed in film by Helen Ryan again in the 1980 film The Elephant Man , Sara Stewart in the 1997 film Mrs Brown , and Julia Blake in the 1999 film Passion . In a 1980 stage play by Royce Ryton , Motherdear , she was portrayed by Margaret Lockwood in her last acting role. Also, in 1907, the Royal Alexandra Theatre was built in Toronto , Canada , as North America's first royal theatre. The venue
11232-502: Was seriously ill. Alexandra returned at once and arrived only the day before her husband died . In his last hours, she personally administered oxygen from a gas cylinder to help him breathe. She told Frederick Ponsonby , "I feel as if I had been turned into stone, unable to cry, unable to grasp the meaning of it all." Later that year she moved out of Buckingham Palace to Marlborough House , but she retained possession of Sandringham. The new king, Alexandra's son George V, soon faced
11340-474: Was sung at the unveiling and conducted by the composer. Alexandra was highly popular with the British public. Unlike her husband and mother-in-law, Alexandra was not castigated by the press. Funds that she helped to collect were used to buy a river launch, called Alexandra , to ferry the wounded during the Sudan campaign , and to fit out a hospital ship, named The Princess of Wales , to bring back wounded from
11448-422: Was to predominate until the second half of the 18th century when, influenced by ancient Greek styles, it gradually evolved into the neoclassicism championed by such architects as Robert Adam . Some of the best known of England's country houses were the work of only one architect/designer, built in a relatively short, particular time: Montacute House , Chatsworth House , and Blenheim Palace are examples. While
11556-585: Was told by his wife that she was going to leave him for another man, Lord Blandford , who was himself married. Aylesford was appalled and decided to seek a divorce. Meanwhile, Lord Blandford's brother, Lord Randolph Churchill , persuaded the lovers against an elopement. Now concerned by the threat of divorce, Lady Aylesford sought to dissuade her husband from proceeding, but Lord Aylesford was adamant and refused to reconsider. In an attempt to pressure Lord Aylesford to drop his divorce suit, Lady Aylesford and Lord Randolph Churchill called on Alexandra and told her that if
11664-440: Was used intermittently for the remainder of the 19th century. Princess Alexandra (then Princess of Wales) gave birth to her first child ( Prince Albert Victor ) at the house in 1864, after which it was the home of Princess Helena , third daughter of Queen Victoria , and her husband Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein . Helena and her husband moved to Cumberland Lodge in 1872. Queen Victoria's great-grandson Louis Mountbatten
#558441