Mereworth Castle
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Mereworth Castle is a listed Palladian country house in Kent, England.
Mereworth is not a castle at all but an almost exact copy of Palladio's Villa Rotunda.[1]. It was designed in 1723 by Colen Campbell who had been commisioned by John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland.[1] The interior features plasterwork by Francesco Bagutti and fresco painting by Francesco Sleter. The house is situated in a landscaped park and valley with a number of surrounding pavilions and lodges which are also Grade I listed.
The house passed through descent to Barons Oranmore and Browne whose family seat it became. It was sold in 1930 [2] and used as a prisoner of war camp during World War II.[3]
[edit] Notes
- ^ 5 Palladian houses were built in Britain based on Palladio's Villa Rotunda (the others being Nuthall Temple, Nottinghamshire [demolished]; Henbury Hall, Cheshire; Chiswick House, Greater London; and Foots Cray Place, Kent [demolished]
- ^ Lord Oranmore and Browne's obituary (Telegraph)
- ^ Island farm website
[edit] References
- Stutchbury, Howard, The Architecture of Colin Campbell, Harvard University Press, 1967, 54-58. ISBN 0-674-04400-2
- Harris, John, The Palladians, Trefoil Publications Ltd, 1981, 66-67. ISBN 0-86294-000-1
- Country Life, XLVII, 808,876,912; XCV, 242; CIV,728; CXVI, 209
[edit] External links
- Images of England website including a description for listing purposes
- The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses
- York University website entry
- 1930s photographs
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