 Wilton House
Described as one of the treasure houses of England, and home to the Earls of Pembroke
for nearly five centuries, Wilton House conceals enormous extravagance behind
its somewhat restrained external appearance. Standing on the site of
a Benedictine Abbey, the first house built was a large Tudor home incorporating
parts of the old abbey walls, but the current Palladian-style building
dates from the 17th century and is attributed to Inigo Jones.
Even though the dimensions are very impressive, this was a scaled-down
version of the original plan, abandoned with the onset of the Civil
War and the declining fortunes of the 4th Earl.
The subdued tones of the
plain, grey stone almost give the illusion of Wilton House becoming just
another feature of the gloriously landscaped parklands, rather than actually
being the dominating aspect from which the grounds radiate. As spectacular
as they are, with their Japanese water gardens, shrubberies, woodland
and riverside walks, these are merely a taster for what awaits the unsuspecting
visitor inside the house.
Wilton House portrays another world,
one where colour, elaborate decoration, and ornately sculptured vistas
blend so well with the fine furnishings and family trinkets on display.
Commemorating Wilton House's great literary connections during the first
half of the 17th century, a lifesize statue of William Shakespeare
stands proud of a pair of arches in the entrance hall. Whether or not
it was intentional to create the impression of looking past this classic
playwright to his raised stage beyond, the vaulted Gothic cloisters providing
background scenery through the arches certainly provide a strong sense
of the theatre.
These light and spacious
cloister passages were the brainchild of James Wyatt and opened up the
inside of Wilton House to give it an added dimension, and made all the
rooms accessible from the corridors for the first time. Apart from some
remodelling, also undertaken by Wyatt, to create a new main entrance
to the house from the north forecourt through the Triumphal Arch, few
structural alterations have been made to Wilton House. Undoubtedly the most
lavish and highly decorated of all the rooms is the Double Cube Room,
so named because of its perfectly equal measurements, 60ft (18.2m) long by 30ft (9.1m)
wide and 30ft (9.1m) high, believed to be the finest surviving example of a
mid 17th century room in England. If he were still alive
today, Inigo Jones would probably be as proud now of this fabulous piece
of craftsmanship as he was when it was first completed.
Basking in these luxurious
surroundings are many fine paintings by Sir Anthony van Dyck, and exquisite
furniture produced by Thomas Chippendale and William Kent. A scene fit
to behold Royalty, as indeed it has. Nearly every British monarch since
Charles I has visited the Double Cube Room. As a top secret Operations
Room, it played a vital role in the planning of the D-Day Landings during
the Second World War. Sir Winston Churchill and Field Marshall Montgomery
must have spent many long hours discussing strategic invasions amid the
safety and splendour of these surroundings.
It is clearly evident that
the present Earl of Pembroke and his family work tirelessly to maintain
and develop the estate for the appreciation of its many visitors, but
the majestic beauty of Wilton House speaks for itself. |
