Gothic Ruin, Frogmore
| Gothic Ruin | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Folly |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Location | Frogmore, Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°28′31″N 0°35′47″W / 51.4752°N 0.5963°W |
| Construction started | c.1790s |
| Governing body | Crown Estate |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Gothic Ruin of Temple by Lake in Frogmore Gardens |
| Designated | 2 October 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1319305 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | James Wyatt |
The Gothic Ruin is located at Frogmore, in the Home Park of Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. Designed by James Wyatt in the late 18th century, the structure is a folly, comprising a summer house enveloped in the trappings of a Gothic ruin. It is a Grade II* listed structure.
History
Frogmore House and its estate were bought by George III for his wife Queen Charlotte in 1792, although the land had formed part of the Windsor royal hunting ground since the reign of Henry VIII.[1] Charlotte engaged James Wyatt to redesign the house and sought the advice of her Vice-Chamberlain, William Price, regarding the redevelopment of the grounds.[a][3] Price's brother Uvedale, an early exponent of the Picturesque, clearly influenced the design.[2]
The Gothic Ruin was designed by
In 1840, Frogmore was inherited by the
During her long widowhood, when she rarely visited London, Victoria spent much of her time at Windsor and at Frogmore.[8] She undertook further building work in the gardens, employing Samuel Sanders Teulon to construct a teahouse,[9] and had the Indian Kiosk installed.[10][c] Victoria also engaged Thomas Willement to redecorate the Gothic Ruin.[4] Victoria used the ruin as an outdoor breakfast room in the warmer summer months.[12]
Description
The Gothic Ruin is a single-storey building clad in castellated battlements to give the appearance of the ruin of a much older structure. It is an early example of the Gothic Revival style.[13] The exact date of construction is uncertain; the Historic England listing suggests the 1790s,[14] and other sources ascribe it to the very late 18th century.[15] The Gothic Ruin is a Grade II* listed building.[16]
Public access
Frogmore Gardens are opened to the public on a limited number of days each year, under the National Garden Scheme.[17]
Footnotes
- ^ Charlotte’s ambition was to create a Paradis Terrestre, a secluded enclave enabling an escape from the rituals of court and modelled on the, almost contemporary, Hameau de la Reine at Versailles.[2]
- ^ As well as the royal mausolea, Frogmore is the site of the Royal Burial Ground, last resting place for a host of Victoria’s lesser descendants.[4]
- ^ Geoffrey Tyack, Simon Bradley and Nikolaus Pevsner, in their Berkshire volume of the Buildings of England series, describe the kiosk as a “pretty, octagonal domed pavilion of white marble”,[4] while the garden historian George Plumptre notes its “exquisite oriental symmetry”.[11]
References
- ^ Plumptre 1981, p. 87.
- ^ a b c Plumptre 1981, pp. 91–95.
- ^ RCT 1997, p. 33.
- ^ a b c d e Tyack, Bradley & Pevsner 2010, pp. 680–683.
- Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ RCT 1997, p. 35.
- ^ St Aubyn 1991, p. 343.
- ^ Historic England. "Teahouse to south of Frogmore House in Frogmore Grounds (Grade II) (1117779)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Kiosk to south east of cottage in Frogmore Grounds (Grade II) (1319306)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Plumptre 1981, p. 98.
- ^ Picard, Caroline (6 June 2016). "The Royal Family's "Secret Garden" Is Opening to the Public". House Beautiful. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Gothic ruin of temple by lake in Frogmore Gardens (Grade II*) (1319305)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Royal Estate, Windsor, Frogmore Gardens (Grade I) (1000587)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Evans, Elinor (10 January 2019). "Your history guide to Frogmore Cottage". History Extra. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Gothic ruin of temple by lake in Frogmore Gardens (Grade II*) (1319305)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Batt, Francis (29 April 2018). "Frogmore Gardens at Windsor Castle to open to the public in June". Windsor Observer.
Sources
- St Aubyn, Giles (1991). Queen Victoria: A Portrait. London: Sinclair-Stevenson. OCLC 636229918.
- Plumptre, George (1981). Royal Gardens. London: OCLC 833434627.
- Royal Collection Trust (1997). Frogmore House and The Royal Mausoleum. London: Royal Collection. OCLC 57354259.
- Tyack, Geoffrey; Bradley, Simon; ISBN 978-0-300-12662-4.
External links
