Hedsor House
Location/Address
Hedsor House, Hedsor Park, Hedsor, Buckinghamshire, SL6 0HX
Type
Description
Victorian country house, altered extensively in 1925 by D'Arcy Baker (famous racing driver).
This is a building of local note in Hedsor
Statement of Significance
Age
Built in 1868 at a cost of £50,000Architectural and Artistic Interest
Designed by Lord Boston IV and Augusta, his wife. Unlike other country houses, the Italian villa style featured a new domed hall rather than a traditional open courtyard. (Hedsor.com). The Italianate style white Suffolk brick with two storey canted bay windows all around and at the front framing the central portico. Prior to the 1925 re-modeling there were 4 large turrets to each corner of the house.Historic Interest
In 1100s the de Hedsor family lived in a medieval manor house, hence the origin of the name. In 1583 a Tudor manor house was built on a site near the present house. In 1776 Lord Boston II drew up plans for a new house on the hill above the river Thames. It was to be called Hedsor Lodge. Lord Boston II was Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III, so had many contacts and was able to work with architect Sir William Chambers (who designed Somerset House) . Hedsor Lodge was completed in 1778, it was badly damaged in a fire in 1795 and in 1865 it was demolished and in 1868 replaced by the present Hedsor House. The Boston family owned the houses at Hedsor from 1764 to 1925, when D'Arcy Baker bought it and re-modeled it back to a Georgian style, however he had expensive taste and in the end the house was handed back to the creditors. 1932 it was bought by Philip Shephard, a Godson of Lord Boston IV. He in turn gave the house to his son and daughter-in-law as a wedding present. During WWII, the house was used as a school and in the 1950's and 60's the US Air Force leased the house and then it was leased to an IT company for 30 years. In the mid to late 2000s the house was extensively renovated and is now used for private events.Images and Documents
Date Listed
n/a
Last Updated
21 Dec 2022