Kingston Maurward House
Kingston Maurward House is a large Georgian English country house set in a 750 acre (3 square km) estate in Dorset situated in the Frome valley two miles east of Dorchester. The mansion was built by George Pitt (1663-1735) of Stratfield Saye House, cousin of William Pitt the Elder, between 1717 and 1720 on the estate brought to him by his second wife Lora daughter of Audley Grey. The mansion was in red brick, but after derogatory comments from King George III, Pitt clad the house in Portland limestone. Much of the house is now used by Kingston Maurward College, though some of it is used for private functions.
Thomas Hardy lived nearby and later referred to Kingston Maurward House as "Knapwater House" in his novel Desperate Remedies.
Grounds and gardens
The grounds of Kingston Maurward, which are used for the land-based college, are open to the public and include the farm areas and extensive gardens. Both the house and grounds are owned by Kingston Maurward College. Also in the grounds is Kingston Maurward Manor House, built in 1590, an earlier mansion which was narrowly saved from demolition when the estate was acquired. Following refurbishment it is a private residence.
See also
External links
References
- Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1968. Dorset. London: Faber & Faber.