Houghton House, Bedfordshire

Houghton House is an elaborate 17^th century hunting lodge, the extensive remains of which are visible today. The site boasts two Italianate loggias and picturesque views over the countryside.

Ownership

The house was built in the 17^th century and was thought to have been designed by the architect John Thorpe. It was commissioned by Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, who had close ties to the royal court. Such ties are evident by King James I granting her the piece of land on which the house was built. Work finished in 1621, a year which saw King James I visit Houghton.

Mary’s death of smallpox on 25^th September the same year saw the house passed to Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin in 1624. The house remained in possession of the Bruce family until the 3^rd Earl retired to exile overseas in 1696 on account of his loyalty to the Stuarts and James II of England.

Houghton was sold to John Russell, 4^th Duke of Bedford. His sons however predeceased him, and so the house was passed to his grandson Francis Russell. He was unable to let the house without the park, so in 1794 the 5^th Duke of Bedford ordered the house to be stripped of its furnishings and dismantled. The roof was removed and the some of the furnishings used elsewhere (the staircase survives in The Swan Hotel, Bedford). The duke never married and thus never produced an heir. He died in 1802 leaving the house open to the elements and able to fall into a ruinous state.

Living at Houghton

After Mary’s death, the house fell into the hands of many different characters who adapted the house to fit their needs. Some of these changes are listed below.

The arrival of the Bruce family after the death of Mary ushered in a life of country relaxation rather than one of full time hunting. This change saw the hunting staircases in the corner turrets being replaced by a grand staircase, inserted in the Stone Hall. The staircase was made of elaborately carved wood, complemented by decorative plasterwork which is still evident today in the ruins. As mentioned above, this staircase is still visible today at The Swan Hotel in Bedford.

The Great Hall was the largest space in the house and was accessed from the main entrance of the house. It would have been used for dining on special occasions and must have been an impressive sight for an arriving visitor. The hall was eventually partitioned to create a private dining room for the family.

Above the Great Hall was the Great Chamber which was used for private dining and as reception rooms. Whilst owned by the Marquess of Tavistock 1764 -1767 the space was converted into a library.

A Country Visit

The setting of the house is magnificent and one can fully appreciate why the location was chosen to build such a place. The high aspect allows for views seemingly stretching for miles and the most relaxed rural tranquility. This was somewhat marred by a family with children screaming and shouting, so I suggest a visit during school time. The ruins are the most intact and largest I’ve blogged about and are very impressive. The splendid south face of the house emerges from the tree-lined path as one makes one’s way through the entrance porch and into where the old Great Hall was. Fireplaces and doorways are evident on both stories, as are the complex interweaving flumes leading to the chimney which are of interest. Heading directly north leads through a neo-classical loggia and down some stairs onto the garden which is now just grass. It allows the visitor to take in the full splendor and size of the building. Walking around to the west face reveals another loggia with Mary Herbert’s coat of arms embossed above. The ruins are some of the best I’ve visited, both for the magnificent views and the sheer scale of what is left to see.

The ruins are located North East of Ampthill off the A421 / 8 miles south of Bedford. There is sufficient sign posting to be able to navigate to the ruins without a problem.

Sources:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.11995

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houghton_House

View of the house from the path leading round onto the driveway.

Front porch entrance.

North face showing one of two neo-classical loggias.

Wider shot showing the north face.

West face showing the second loggia.

The western loggia.

The western loggia II.

'Mary Herbert's personal emblems were carved in the freize of the loggia. The bear and staff was the emblem of the Dudleys, her mother's family; the lion represents her father's family, the Sidneys. Mary combined her initals M and H, with the arrow head emblem of her father's family to create her own arms'

An idea of how magnificent the view is.

Looking up the driveway.

Pictures taken 21st September 2008.