Bushy House
Encyclopedia
Bushy House is a former royal residence in Teddington
in South West London
, on the site of the National Physical Laboratory
, overlooking Bushy Park
.
Bushy House was originally built in 1663 by William Samwell
for Edward Proger
, at a cost of £4000, as a keeper's lodge in what was at the time North Park. Proger had been made ranger of Bushy Park to reward him for his loyalty to King Charles II
during his exile.
It was rebuilt and repaired by Charles Montagu
from 1713 to 1715 after he had bought the three parks from the Duchess of Cleveland
. The house then passed to Charles' cousin George Montague (1715–1737) and then to George's son George Montague-Dunk (1737–1771). From 1771 to 1792, it was occupied by Lord North
the Prime Minister
.
In 1797, after the death of both Lord North and his wife, King George III
appointed his son, William, Duke of Clarence
, as Ranger of Bushy Park, carrying with it residence at Bushy House. The future King William IV and his mistress Dorothy Jordan lived there together with their ten children until the couple's relationship came to an end in 1811. William continued living in Bushy House with the FitzClarence children and later his wife Princess Adelaide
after they married in 1818. When at 6am on the 26th June 1830 a messenger from London arrived at Bushy House with the news that the King
was dead and that William was now king, William is said to have replied that he had 'always wished to sleep with a queen' and gone back to bed. As William had appointed her Ranger in her own right upon his accession, after William's death in 1837, Bushy House became Adelaide's official residence until her death in 1849.
In 1865, Queen Victoria offered Bushy House to the Duc de Nemours
and other members of the exiled French royal family as they tried to restore the House of Bourbon
. After his return to France in 1871, he kept Bushy House until 1897 in case he was forced to leave France again.
Bushy House and 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) of surrounding Bushy Park land were proposed as a site for the National Physical Laboratory in 1900 after concerns about flooding of the previously proposed site in the Old Deer Park
. The ground floor and basement levels of Bushy House were converted to laboratory space and Richard Glazebrook
, the first director of NPL, and later other directors, used part of the building as private accommodation.
Today, Bushy House still contains a number of laboratories, two small museum
s that mainly contain old scientific equipment and several rooms used for meetings and conferences.
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
in South West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on the site of the National Physical Laboratory
National Physical Laboratory, UK
The National Physical Laboratory is the national measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington, London, England. It is the largest applied physics organisation in the UK.-Description:...
, overlooking Bushy Park
Bushy Park
- External links :***...
.
Bushy House was originally built in 1663 by William Samwell
William Samwell (architect)
William Samwell was an English architect. He was born in Dean's Yard, Westminster, to Anthony Samwell, son of Sir William Samwell, Auditor of the Exchequer to Queen Elizabeth I....
for Edward Proger
Edward Proger
Edward Proger was a Member of Parliament for Brecknock/Breconshire, Page of Honour to King Charles I, Groom of the Bedchamber for King Charles II and Lord of the Manor of West Stow. He was Keeper of the Middle Park and Harewarren for 48 years.Proger's family lived in a mansion near Abergavenny,...
, at a cost of £4000, as a keeper's lodge in what was at the time North Park. Proger had been made ranger of Bushy Park to reward him for his loyalty to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
during his exile.
It was rebuilt and repaired by Charles Montagu
Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax
Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, KG, PC, FRS was an English poet and statesman.-Early life:Charles Montagu was born in Horton, Northamptonshire, the son of George Montagu, fifth son of 1st Earl of Manchester...
from 1713 to 1715 after he had bought the three parks from the Duchess of Cleveland
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland was an English courtesan and perhaps the most notorious of the many mistresses of King Charles II of England, by whom she had five children, all of which were acknowledged and subsequently ennobled...
. The house then passed to Charles' cousin George Montague (1715–1737) and then to George's son George Montague-Dunk (1737–1771). From 1771 to 1792, it was occupied by Lord North
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
.
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
appointed his son, William, Duke of Clarence
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, as Ranger of Bushy Park, carrying with it residence at Bushy House. The future King William IV and his mistress Dorothy Jordan lived there together with their ten children until the couple's relationship came to an end in 1811. William continued living in Bushy House with the FitzClarence children and later his wife Princess Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
after they married in 1818. When at 6am on the 26th June 1830 a messenger from London arrived at Bushy House with the news that the King
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
was dead and that William was now king, William is said to have replied that he had 'always wished to sleep with a queen' and gone back to bed. As William had appointed her Ranger in her own right upon his accession, after William's death in 1837, Bushy House became Adelaide's official residence until her death in 1849.
In 1865, Queen Victoria offered Bushy House to the Duc de Nemours
Louis, Duke of Nemours
Prince Louis of Orléans was the second son of the future King Louis-Philippe I of France, and his wife Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily. Under the reign of his father from 1830–1848, he was styled as Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours.-Childhood:He was born at the Palais Royal, in Paris...
and other members of the exiled French royal family as they tried to restore the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. After his return to France in 1871, he kept Bushy House until 1897 in case he was forced to leave France again.
Bushy House and 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) of surrounding Bushy Park land were proposed as a site for the National Physical Laboratory in 1900 after concerns about flooding of the previously proposed site in the Old Deer Park
Old Deer Park
Old Deer Park is an area of open space within Richmond-upon-Thames, England, and is in extent. The park is bounded generally by the River Thames to the west, Kew Gardens to the north, and urban areas of Richmond town to the east and south. Owned by the Crown Estate, the park forms part of a larger...
. The ground floor and basement levels of Bushy House were converted to laboratory space and Richard Glazebrook
Richard Glazebrook
Sir Richard Tetley Glazebrook KCB KCVO FRS was an English physicist.-Education and early career:Glazebrook was born in West Derby, Liverpool, the son of a surgeon...
, the first director of NPL, and later other directors, used part of the building as private accommodation.
Today, Bushy House still contains a number of laboratories, two small museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s that mainly contain old scientific equipment and several rooms used for meetings and conferences.