National Trust.
Ralph Verney inherited a Jacobean house in 1752, and reconstructed and extended it, before embarking on a still more grandiose scheme to create a great West front to rival that of his much richer neighbour, Earl Temple of Stowe. The surviving west wing contains some wonderful interiors, with carvings by the brilliant but rather difficult Luke Lightfoot, and plasterwork in the saloon and staircase by Joseph Rose. The ironwork and parquetry in the staircase are another marvel. There is also a Chinese room upstairs. Most of the unaffordable West front, including a grandiose rotunda and ballroom, was demolished by Ralph Verney’s neice and heir in the 1790’s, and there is no trace of it today.
There have been some changes since my last visit. NT visitor reception is around the corner to the left, facing the courtyard. The family have now moved out, so that two more rooms are open on the ground floor, and also another staircase to the upper floors. The model of the house has been relocated to one of the newly opened rooms. The South Lawn and an area of gardens with some formal flowerbeds are now open to visitors, accessible via the courtyard, and allowing close access to the rear of the house. A large walled garden is closed off and signed as Private.
The North hall contains Lightfoot’s wonderful bird carvings in high relief (actually white-painted wood), and the next room is equally impressive. To get upstairs one ascends an original staircase which goes up a long way (the ground floor rooms are very tall) giving access to a series of rooms including the music room with a gamelan orchestra in it, a grand bedroom, the Chinese room, and a museum room with various documents, and some architectural salvage. Florence Nightingale has connections with the house. One returns to the ground floor via a small modern staircase.
Outside, there is the inevitable retail courtyard around the old stable yard, also a church, parkland, and some gardens. Much of the outside is under separate management. The garden and South Lawn entrance is via the retail courtyard.
The Church can also be visited.
Altogether, there is enough to see to justify a half-day visit.
