Squerryes Court
Encyclopedia
Squerryes Court is a late 17th century manor house that stands just outside the town of Westerham
in Kent
. The house, which has been held by the same family for over 280 years, is surrounded by extensive gardens and parkland.
In 1700, the property was sold by Sir Nicholas's son to Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey
. The third earl sold it in 1731 to John Warde, whose great uncle Sir Patience Warde, had been Lord Mayor of London
in 1680. Subsequently, his father also achieved that office as well as becoming one of the first Governors of the Bank of England
.
The building, which is in early Georgian style, houses a fine collection of Old Master paintings from the Italian, 17th Century Dutch and 18th Century English schools, together with furniture, porcelain and tapestries. All of which were acquired or commissioned by the family in the 18th century. Items connected with General James Wolfe
victor of the battle of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
, and a friend of the Warde family, are also on display.
, lake, gazebo and parterres. Just after the house was built, they were laid out in formal style. However, later towards the end of the 18th century they were transformed into the natural landscape style that was then fashionable. Following the great storm of 1987, the Warde family are in the process of transforming part of the garden back into the formal style based on the original plans and a print dated 1719.
The gardens, which can be visited along with the house, are beautiful all year round with spring bulbs, wild flowers, azaleas, summer flowering herbaceous borders and roses, together with woodland walks.
Westerham
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The house, which has been held by the same family for over 280 years, is surrounded by extensive gardens and parkland.
History
The site has been inhabited for at least 800 years. It was owned by the de Squerie family until the middle of the 15th Century. This family had a squirrel for their crest and it is thought they took their name from the place. The previous house, dating from medieval times, was torn down in 1681 and the present house built by Sir Nicholas Crispe, a London merchant.In 1700, the property was sold by Sir Nicholas's son to Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey son of Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond and Frances Howard, the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Hume, was created Baron Villiers and Viscount Villiers in 1691 and Earl of Jersey in 1697.His grandfather, Sir Edward...
. The third earl sold it in 1731 to John Warde, whose great uncle Sir Patience Warde, had been Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1680. Subsequently, his father also achieved that office as well as becoming one of the first Governors of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
.
The building, which is in early Georgian style, houses a fine collection of Old Master paintings from the Italian, 17th Century Dutch and 18th Century English schools, together with furniture, porcelain and tapestries. All of which were acquired or commissioned by the family in the 18th century. Items connected with General James Wolfe
James Wolfe
Major General James P. Wolfe was a British Army officer, known for his training reforms but remembered chiefly for his victory over the French in Canada...
victor of the battle of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
, and a friend of the Warde family, are also on display.
Description
The house is set on a terrace and has a pleasingly proportioned central block of seven bays under a hipped roof. It is constructed of mellow orange brick. The original building was built flanked by two small wings forming a forecourt, but these were demolished and replaced in the 19th century. The replacement wings were themselves torn down after the Second World War and only the main block now remains.The Gardens
The gardens at Squerryes Court cover some 10 acres (around 4 hectares) and include a dovecoteDovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
, lake, gazebo and parterres. Just after the house was built, they were laid out in formal style. However, later towards the end of the 18th century they were transformed into the natural landscape style that was then fashionable. Following the great storm of 1987, the Warde family are in the process of transforming part of the garden back into the formal style based on the original plans and a print dated 1719.
The gardens, which can be visited along with the house, are beautiful all year round with spring bulbs, wild flowers, azaleas, summer flowering herbaceous borders and roses, together with woodland walks.