Taplow Court
Taplow Court | |
---|---|
Type | House |
Location | Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England |
Coordinates | 51°31′54″N 0°41′41″W / 51.5316°N 0.6947°W |
Built | 1855 with earlier origins |
Architect | William Burn |
Architectural style(s) | Tudorbethan |
Governing body | Soka Gakkai International |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Taplow Court |
Designated | 26 April 1985 |
Reference no. | 1165286 |
Taplow Court is a
The court is a Grade II listed building, and its present appearance is due to a major rebuilding undertaken by William Burn for Charles Grenfell in 1855–1860. In the early 20th century, the court was home to William Grenfell and his wife Ettie. She was a noted Edwardian hostess, and Taplow Court became a gathering place for The Souls, a group of aristocratic intellectuals.
History
From 1852, Taplow Court became the home of the Grenfell family, purchased by
During the Great War, the Grenfells lost two of their three sons.[a]Julian was killed by a shell splinter in May 1915, and his brother Billy was killed in July the same year. A letter of condolence from Arthur Balfour, printed in the Grenfell's Family Journal, begins: "I do not pretend to offer consolation; in one very real sense there is no consolation to be offered. The blow, the double blow, has fallen and the shock which threatens the very citadel of life can be softend by nothing that I or perhaps any other can do or utter".[5]
A stické court was built by William Grenfell at Taplow Court in 1892 and the dimension of this court subsequently became the standard size of the court.[b][8][6]
In 1913 Taplow Court was rented by Rodman Wanamaker, the U.S. Department Store magnate. After World War II, Taplow Court was owned by British Telecommunications Research, a subsidiary of Plessey Electronics until 1988 when it became a Soka Gakkai International(SGI) Buddhist centre.[9]
Description
The present building dates mainly from William Burn's rebuilding in 1855–1860.
Notes
References
- ^ a b Pevsner & Williamson 2003, pp. 690–691.
- ^ John Maclean, Letters of George Lord Carew to Sir Thomas Roe (London, 1860), p. 49.
- ^ Sheahan 1862, p. 852.
- ^ Davenport-Hines 2012, p. ?.
- ^ Grenfell 1916, p. 636.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Stické tennis court to West of Hartham House (Grade II*) (1284355)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Historic England. "Covered Tennis Court, Cliveden Estate (Grade II) (1390848)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Sticke Tennis". US Court Tennis Association. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Taplow Court (Grade II) (1165286)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Historic England. "Taplow Court park and gardens (Grade II) (1000607)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
Sources
- Davenport-Hines, Richard (2012). Ettie: The Intimate Life And Dauntless Spirit Of Lady Desborough. London: Hachette. ISBN 9780297856221.
- OCLC 933101105.
- ISBN 9780300095845.
- Sheahan, James Joseph (1862). History and topography of Buckinghamshire: comprising a general survey of the county, preceded by an epitome of the early history of Great Britain. London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts. ISBN 978-0-8048-3390-5.