Today we visited Houghton House at Amphill and that's what my photo of the day is of. I had to stitch three photos together to get the one image and it could still do with a bit of work on the sky.
Houghton House was built in the 17th century as an elaborate hunting lodge for Mary Herbert, the Dowager Countess of Pembroke, a well-connected member of the royal court. After Mary Herbert’s death, the estate was granted by the king to the Bruce family but it was eventually purchased by the Dukes of Bedford. The fifth Duke of Bedford rented the hunting park to a neighbour. He was subsequently unable to let the house without the park, so he ordered Houghton to be dismantled in 1794. Some of the fittings were used in new building projects.
Houghton House was reputedly the inspiration for the 'House Beautiful' in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.. It is now an English Heritage property which is free to visit. The house is about 6 miles or so from where we live and we have driven past the entrance so many times without knowing it was there. We're glad that today we found it.
3 comments:
Lovely set of photos. interesting place.
That looks another beautiful place to visit - what a shame that such a wonderful house was allowed to fall into ruins. Well done a your one geocache find - it is so frustrating when others go missing or there are too many muggles in the way isn't it.
Just spotted you are from bedfordshire we have had lots of lovely walks that take in houghton hose we often do a circular one at Christmas and have a bit of mulled wine when we get there
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