Northington Grange is a grand country house, which is an important example of Greek Revival architecture.
Brief History
Sir Robert Henley (about 1624–92), a wealthy politician, bought an estate and modest country house known as The Grange in 1662. Three years later, he commissioned the architect William Samwell to build a new impressive residence to replace the house.
This residence was drastically transformed from 1809, when the architect William Wilkins – an expert on ancient Greek architecture – rendered the exterior to give it the appearance of a Greek temple.
Neoclassical taste
Wilkins had been commissioned by Henry Drummond (1786–1860), then owner of the house, who wanted something sensational in the latest neoclassical taste. But he disliked the result and sold the estate in 1817 to his neighbour Alexander Baring, whose family continued to alter and embellish the house throughout the 19th century.
After neglect and the threat of total demolition, the house was taken into guardianship in 1975 and is today in the care of English Heritage.
Sources
Liscombe, R W 1980. 'William Wilkins, 1778–1839', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
