West Wycombe Estate and park in Buckinghamshire, England, is a remarkable country park that is home to strange follies, arcane geometry and extraordinary historical secrets. This is the first part of Curious Britain's review into the mysteries and eccentricities of this historic house and gardens. |
The West Wycombe Estate was originally purchased in 1698 by two brothers, Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet and Sir Samuel Dashwood (later Lord Mayor of London) from their brother-in-law Thomas Lewis an Alderman of London. After the business relationship between the two brothers ceased in 1704 Sir Francis Dashwood bought out his brother's share in the property. The pre-existing buildings were demolished and a modest house in the late Carolean style was erected in its place.
In 1708 Lady Mary Fane, the second wife of Sir Francis, 1st Baronet, gave birth to Francis Dashwood who would later become the 15th Earl De Spencer and the founder of the libertine and notorious secret society known both as the Knights of Sir Francis and the Monks of Medmenham Abbey. Although often recorded as the founder and head of the Hellfire Club this is inaccurate and this label was added somewhat later when the exploits of the Knights finally spilled over into London gossip. The real Hellfire Club was started in London by Philip, Duke of Wharton, in 1719. However, it is true that Sir Francis was the leader of the organisation that would be most remembered as a Hellfire Club through the centuries that followed.
It is generally accepted that Sir Francis Dashwood was passionate about many subjects but several dominated both his aspirations and his activities. First and foremost was his dislike of formal religion and by consequence his motivation to ridicule its pomp and self importance. He did this by establishing a mock religious order, the Monks of Medmenham abbey, and by dedicating himself to sexually extravagant behaviour. However, he was also deeply impressed by classical Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern ideas and architecture.
In 1939 he started remodelling the existing Georgian Manor house that had been built by his father into a Palladian style mansion. During the late 1740's Sir Francis Dashwood used the West Wycombe Estate to express his beliefs and was responsible for building numerous follies, many of which may have hidden meanings that are not fully understood to this day. Certainly these follies were used during his many parties and extravaganzas as convenient hideaways where couples or even groups could enjoy libertine and often erotic entertainments. This section about West Wycombe Estate concentrates on these follies although there are many other elements such as the plaster cast of the Borghese Hermaphrodite and frescoes within the mansion itself that further express the idea that the gardens were originally designed to be an erotic playground dedicated to a form of liberal naturalism and divine sexuality.
THE TEMPLE OF THE (FOUR) WINDS
This beautiful building is modelled on the Tower (Temple) of the Winds on the Roman agora in Athens which was dedicated to the concept of time and featured sundials, water clocks and a wind vane. Dashwood's understanding of Greek and Roman mythology would have meant that he knew and associated himself with the stories of the four wind gods. Boreas: (the North Wind) who kidnapped and ravished the maiden Oreithyia and who disguised himself as a stallion and mated with twelve mares in the fields next to the Scamander river. Eurus: (the East Wind) sometimes associated with renewal and fertility.
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Notus: (the South Wind) the bringer of fogs and friend of Thieves, illicit lovers and those who wish to be hidden was said to be half man and half stallion. Zephyrus: (the West Wind) who fell in love with the young man Hyacinthus (who he later killed), abducted the nymph Chloris, mated with the harpy Podarge who gave birth to the immortal horses Xanthus, Balius and later Arion. The Temple of the Four Winds also served a very functional purpose by supplying water to the estate and concealing the ice house beneath it.
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THE TEMPLE OF MUSIC (Original)
Designed to be viewed from the Mansion it was clearly constructed for entertainment as it is laid out as a single large room with basements and service entrances concealed by a small clump of trees. A survey conducted in 1781 describes it as a theatre and the remains of a stage are still identifiable. It's located on an ornamental island in the manmade lake and can only be accessed by boat. When not in use for parties and formal functions it was an ideal location for guaranteed privacy or specialist fêtes champêtres. It was built between 1778 and 1782 from drawings by Nicholas Revett based on the Temple of Vesta in Rome the original holy place of the Vestal Virgins.
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THE TEMPLE OF VENUS (Restored1984)
As the Roman Goddess of beauty, love and fertility Venus was most closely associated with Aphrodite the Greek goddess of beauty and sexuality. Classically educated gentry would have got the joke and the significance. It is important to remember that the age of excessive Victorian morality had yet to arrive. The temple itself is was probably designed by Donowell and constructed in 1748 on a small hillock designed to resemble a female pubic mound. It originally featured an erotic statue of Leda and the Swan based on the Greek myth. Today this fairly graphic statue has been replaced by simple stone ball.
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THE PARLOR OF VENUS (Restored 1984)
Beneath the Temple of Venus is a small Grotto euphemistically known as Venus's Parlour . Even the official guide book which is fairly circumspect when describing the West Wycombe Estate admits that it is a symbolic vagina opening into the mons veneris (Mound of Venus) or, as it's more commonly known, the pubic mound. The walls that curve away from the oval opening are said to represent open legs and the statue above the entrance is that of Mercury who was reputed to usher the souls of men into Paradise. He, in turn, is standing on a stone sphere that is representative of a clitoris.
This is the most notorious of the follies and is reported to have once had up to 25 smaller erotic statues in front of it described by the guide book as being in "Various Attitudes" which is a polite way of saying they were depicting sexual acts. In particular, there was also supposed to have been a large phallus made of flint and "a most indecent statue of an unnatural satyr". We can only guess at how unnatural and how indecent. Dashwood, a lover of satire, particularly the works of Paul Whitehead, would have been amused at a statue to Satyr. It is likely that it was a statue of Priapus and may even have been the same one that was displayed at the Medmenham Abbey for a time. |
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THE ROUND TEMPLE
The Round Temple of West Wycombe park is a circular folly with a conical roof made of Welsh slate and topped with a ball-shaped finial. The section of the temple that faces the Palladian mansion is open, is fitted with a curved bench and supported by Doric columns. The temple provides a superb vantage point from which to view the estate and particularly the Temple of the Winds with which it is aligned. It was designed by Revett as a classical rotunda circa 1775 and was constructed to conceal the water cistern that fed the main house. It nestles into the hedge that now conceals the swimming pool and is currently used as a dovecote.
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THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO
The Temple of Apollo is a triumphal arch made largely from flint stone and currently houses a statue of Apollo, son of Zeus patron of music and poetry. He is most often depicted as a hairless but handsome and well proportioned young man. According to legend he was prodigious lover and pursued many women including the nymphs, Daphne (daughter of the river god Peneus) and Cyrene (daughter of the King of the centaurs ) as well as the mortals, Princess Leucothea (daughter of King Orchamus), Queen Hecuba (King Priam's wife) and Princess Cassandra (Hecuba's daughter). |
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He was also the lover of the handsome Spartan prince Hyacinthus who was later killed while he was at sport with Apollo by Zephyrus (the West Wind) . Cyparissus, a descendant of Hercules, was another lover of Apollo and the Cypress tree is named after him. It is clear to see why Apollo would have been an appealing figure to Sir France Dashwod. It should be no surprise that Apollo also has a direct link with at least two of the other follies - Daphne's Temple and the Temple of the Winds. The statue itself is a lead copy of "Apollo of the Belvedere" which was, at one time, recognised as the most perfect of the ancient sculptures. The original was discovered in Greece during the late 15th century. It is believed that the Temple was originally a gateway to the stables and household quarters. It is sometimes referred to as the Cockpit Arch as the area beneath it is believed to have been used for cock fighting.
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THE CASCADE (Partial)
The cascade that can be seen today is merely the base of a much more elaborate structure that can be identified in the painting by William Hannan. It appears that it was comprised of a large rock arch over the main cascade under which a naked river god or possibly Neptune reclined in the water facing towards the Temple of the Winds. The main structure was flanked two smaller water features. On both the left and the right were smaller rock arches through which flowed miniature waterfalls. The superstructure of the cascade was dismantled in 1770 leaving only the two square pillars of the base.
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It seems that these were raised and a new cascade built that included a crossing (bridge) made of five low arches. The original flanking arches were formalised in flint stone and mortar. Currently the pillars feature statues of water nymphs, one of which is believed to be Cleopatra daughter of the wind god Boreas. The other may be a representation of Ariadne.
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THE TEMPLE OF DAPHNE
Legends surrounding Daphne are varied and tragic. In the first, Daphne is the daughter of Peneus and Creusa and is a beautiful girl who is pursued by the god Apollo. To prevent him fulfilling his desires she prays for help and is turned into a laurel tree. In another version she is a river nymph but the outcome is the same. In a darker version she is actually Artemis Daphnaia the virgin sister of Apollo and therefore forbidden fruit. However, the theme of passionate pursuit is consistent and ties in well with Sir Francis's perceptions of love and lust. It may even reflect a very personal message regarding his own relationships which were very complicated. |
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The temple itself was designed by Donowell in about 1745 and may have also been used to overlook the original entrance to the estate. In later years it would have provided a secluded hideaway where people could meet and enjoy the magnificent views of the mansion and the lake. The concept hasn't been lost on others and in the 2003 film, What a Girl Wants, the Apollo-Daphne story is revised for modern audiences and actually filmed at West Wycombe. The concept of a garden as a form of three dimensional literary expression is now well accepted if little understood. The images in the film, the use of the Follies, including the temple of Venus, and the references to the Laurel tree are all interwoven into the story but are only really recognisable to people who already understand their significance.
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THE BOAT HOUSE (Rebuilt)
The original Boathouse was constructed before 1781 although possibly not in the same location as the modern version added in 1988. It's existence can be traced to a painting by William Daniell in which it can be seen as a vague structure in the background. The more recent version is Gothic in style said to be based on the chapel of King's College, Cambridge. It was designed by Patrick Crawford and has been built on the edge one of the ornamental islands in the lake facing towards the cascade. According to Quinlan Terry the late Sir Francis Dashwood (1925 - 2000) had intended to further enhance the boathouse by creating an even more Gothic Facade made from Flint. Clearly this project was never realised. |
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Other Follies and features of the West Wycombe Estate include The Temple of Flora, The Temple of Bacchus, The Temple of Diana, Kitty's Lodges and St. Crispin's Chapel. (Photographs coming soon)
Useful Information |
