 Appuldurcombe House
Just the shell remains of a lovely, 18th century house built on
the estate of Appuldurcombe, previously a site with connections to a
Norman priory. Surrounded by a vast expanse of rolling downs on the
Isle of Wight, this impressive estate was the family seat of the Worsley
family for some 300 years.
Building of the Baroque style Appuldurcombe House commenced in 1701 to replace the large Tudor
house inherited by Sir Robert Worsley, but was not completed until 70
years later, by his great nephew, Sir Richard. This fine country house
displays many French architectural influences, and was considered a sophisticated
project for its time. Unusually, the central section of the house was
not emphasised, but instead Appuldurcombe House had prominent pavilions
(or wings) projecting at either end of the building. Elaborate mouldings
around the door and windows are absolutely typical of the English Baroque
style, although the overall appearance is perhaps more Italian, with its
great columns and Corinthian capitals.
Every last detail was carefully considered - from the pairs of chimneys above the
pavilions creating a triumphant arch, to the contrast of finishing textures
used to distinguish between different parts of the design. The Hall was
a particularly splendid room, with scagliola (imitation marble) columns
topped by Ionic capitals and a frieze, and a fabulous marble floor. There
would also have been a grand staircase, a drawing room, and a library
to house part of the family art collection. In fact, in his later years,
Sir Richard filled Appuldurcombe House with pictures he had collected, turning his
home into more of a museum with visitors being allowed to view the collections.
Sir Richard was also responsible for the landscaping of the extensive grounds at Appuldurcombe, and called
upon the services of the fashionable Capability Brown to undertake this
task. No classical temples, lakes and serpentine streams were included
in the plans, but several 'eye-catching' monuments were erected at high
points. On the crest of the hill, at the northern edge of the park,
the imposing Freemantle Gate survives as a reminder of the glorious
days the estate once knew.
From the time of Sir Richard's death in 1805, and for the next 100 years or so,
Appuldurcombe House saw many changes of use. The 1st Baron Yarborough(1805-55)
made few changes to the house, and was quite happy to retain the property
as a convenient base for his sailing activities out of Cowes. About four
years later, an unsuccessful business venture commenced to run Appuldurcombe House
as an hotel, but with its failure the house was then leased for use as
a college for young gentlemen. During the first few years of the 20th
century, it accommodated a small group of Benedictine monks, forced to
leave their abbey in France, and from then on it remained largely uninhabited,
except by troops throughout both World Wars.
The preservation of this beautiful building was uncertain for many years, and was further
aggravated by substantial damaged caused as a result of a land mine, which
fell close to the house in 1943. Although the original 'stately home'
has long since been lost, in 1952 the decision to save Appuldurcombe House from
demolition has meant that a long programme of restoration has resulted
in the peaceful site seen today. |
