If you remember my last post, I mentioned that I have been pretty preoccupied lately with my project work. Well, after working on it for a couple of weeks now, I thought I'd take the chance to share with you all what I have been working on.
But first, in order to do that, I need to give a brief history of the house and how my project ties in with that history. I think that it's about time I did so, as I have barely mentioned anything about the background of the property I am at, or why I find it so amazing.
Basildon Park is a grand Georgian mansion, designed in the Palladian architectural style. This took its influence from the classical Greek and Roman temples, and was very keen on the use of symmetry, which is something that is easily seen throughout the house, and indeed, when also viewed from the front of the building as you first approach. It was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes, a Yorkshire man who made his fortune at a young age during his time in the East India Company. It was upon his return to England that he commissioned an architect, John Carr of York, to build a home for himself and his family that would also serve as an obvious display of his wealth and status. Unfortunately for him, however, he was to soon face a series of corruption charges against his time in India, and as such many of the rooms in Basildon Park were left unfinished at the time of his death in 1804.
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| Basildon Park - As seen in an engraving from 1794, just over a decade after its completion. Based on an artwork by Edward Dayes (1763 - 1804) |
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| Basildon Park - Built in the Paladian style by architect John Carr in 1776. It took its inspiration from the classical Greek and Roman temple buildings, as is obvious from the front of the building. It was also a style obsessed with symmetry, which is also something that can be seen from the front of Basildon. |
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| Tabley House - This house, in Cheshire, was also built in the Palladian style by John Carr. It is very similarly in many ways to Basildon, and gives an example of how similar many of the buildings of this style were. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
By the time of the 3rd Sir Sykes in 1829, the house was put on the market. It was eventually bought by the Liberal MP James Morrison in 1838. It was Morrison, along with his architect J. B. Papworth, who completed much of the interior of the house, particularly the rooms left unfinished since the time of Sir Francis Sykes. It was to stay in his family throughout the 19th century until the death of Ellen Morrison in 1910.
Then came the sad years for Basildon. And not only for Basildon, but for most of the world. By 1914, the Great War had turned Europe upside down and inside out. During this period, the house was used as an army convalescent home, and much of its former grandeur was left looking tired and faded as a result. By 1929 it had been sold to a property speculator, Mr. Ferdinando, who had planned to sell it to America and ship it over brick by brick. Luckily, for the fate of Basildon Park, America was in a time of deep depression, and not even the rich were willing to take on such a massive project. In the mean time, however, Ferdinando saw fit to strip the house of much of its original fireplaces, doors, plasterwork, gilding and anything that was resellable.
Then came the Second World War. The house was once again to be used for military purposes, with troops, clerks, labourers and German prisoners of war billeted in and around the house. Indeed, the cabin which I live in, "Ivy Cottage", is the last remaining hut of many which were dotted around the grounds and used to house the German prisoners of war. The house's grounds was used to train and prepare American soldiers for the D-Day landings in Normandy.
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| Basildon Park - The entrance pillars to the house are missing the wrought iron gates that adorned the structure prior to the Second World War. In this photo you can also make out a sign which says "Working Camp". The home was used to house many German POW's who were stationed here even after the war, awaiting to be returned home. |
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| This photo clearly shows the sad state of the house after the Second World War, and the damage that was done under the management of Ferdinando. Many of the windows are smashed, missing or boarded up. Many of the doors are removed. The grounds are overgrown with weeds. In the winter of 1947, the house suffered damage from a major fire on its upper floor, destroying much of the interior of the North wing of the house. The ceiling collapsed in to the room below. Evidence of this fire can still be seen today in the wooden beams of the loft, and the floorboards of the library. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so Basildon was a ruin by the end of the Second World War. The only remnants of its former grandeur being in the obvious size, scale, and design of its facade. And so it would have remained, if it wasn't for Lord and Lady Iliffe. Looking for a new home to start their married life together, they eventually discovered Basildon Park. Having been in Lord Iliffe's Father's ownership for sometime after the war, they decided to purchase the house and restore it to its former glory. This was no easy task, given the post war period of rationing. However, with Lady Iliffe's keen eye for interior design and with many former stately homes being demolished after the Second World War, they were able to furnish it so well that many of the rooms look as though they were original to house itself.
Lord and Lady Iliffe lived in the house until they passed away; Lord Iliffe passed in 1996, Lady Iliffe in 2007. They gifted the house to the National Trust in 1978, along with a large endowment, to ensure its future.
And so, that brings me on to my project. As much of the house today is on display as it would have been in the time of the Iliffe's after their purchase of the house in the 50's, I have decided to go the other way and use the 18th century kitchen as a way of telling the story of the house I have just told you - the story before the Iliffe's. I have been challenged with making the room that would have been the 18th century kitchen according to Carr's original designs, in to a more presentable, interesting and lively experience for visitors.
I have decided to concentrate on the lives of the "Downstairs", the servants, butlers, cooks etc, as opposed to the nobility's who took residence there over the past 3 centuries.
The room at the moment is very dull.
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As you can see, the space is very cluttered, and has no real organisation or purpose to it at all. It is vaguely a "Kitchen", but needs a lot more work. I am very excited about what I will be doing with this space. I plan to make the experience much more sensory, with sounds and smells. It is a work in progress, and I can't wait to share the finished result with you!
For now, I have made a map of the ground floor of the house, illustrating just how much of the space would have been used to house the many servants and domestic rooms and out buildings. I will share that with you now as a sneak peek of what is to come.
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| My map illustrating how much space was reserved for the many domestic rooms and outbuildings. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I look forward to sharing with you all my progress on this.
Until then,
Best wishes,
Craig
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