Magnificent manner
In 1874, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild bought a barren hill in Buckinghamshire from the Duke of Marlborough and set about building his ideal home. It helped that the plot boasts unrivalled views across the Vale of Aylesbury to the Chiltern Hills and that he had a vision that has endured today, making Waddesdon Manor the second most visited National Trust property in the country.
The architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur built him a palace, or rather, a chateau plucked straight from the banks of the Loire and sited in the lush green countryside. The vernacular suited Rothschild’s sensibility, and the two subsequent generations who lived there packed it full of priceless, unique, well-chosen paintings and antiques. The 45 rooms on view combine the best in 18th-century French furniture and decorative arts, alongside museum-quality English portraits and Dutch Old Masters.
1. In the Breakfast Room an elaborate glass chandelier reflects the intricate gilt detailing on the curving wood panels. Double doors lead through into an ante room, giving a distant view of the garden 2. The flower-decked Dining Room table is laid as for an 1890s party
It is a remarkable tribute to a family who for centuries has influenced and supported the arts, yet, for the most part, were outsiders. Despite becoming one of the richest men in Frankfurt, Ferdinand’s great-grandfather, Mayer Amschel Rothschild, like all the Jewish community, was forced to live (and die) in the city’s walled ghetto, the Judengasse. His great-grandmother lived in the house on Judengasse until her death in 1849, aged 95, and when the rest of the ghetto was finally swept away, her sons bought the house and preserved it. It was eventually destroyed by a bomb in 1944.
Mercifully, Waddesdon Manor survived the war intact – the Green Boudoir, for instance, resplendent with Meissen candelabra and mantel clock. The Dining Room is capable of seating 42 diners, all with perfect views of the Beauvais tapestries. The silver-service dinner set, commissioned for George III , can be seen here. And the Portico bedroom, one of 16 guest bedrooms, is where Winston Churchill slept in the Louis XVI four-poster bed – it has a balcony, the only one at the house, which gave him somewhere to smoke his cigars.
3. A mid 18th century painted chest of drawers is enhanced by an intricate frieze and ormolu mounts 4. In the White Drawing Room, there is a display of George III’s silver dinner service 5. Painted flowers and birds adorn 18th-century panels
Generations of royalty, politicians, artists and writers all were entertained in the grandest fashion by a family noted for their generosity. The cellar, which was modelled on the private cellars at Château Lafite Rothschild, contains thousands of bottles of wine, some dating back to the 19th century.
Nowadays, the vast kitchens where Ferdinand’s much-feted chef, Auguste Chalanger, and his confectioner, Arthur Chategner (lifted from the Tsar) would produce lavish banquets, form part of the house’s excellent restaurant. The huge ranges and the servants’ dining hall still look remarkably modern, especially in an age where ‘vintage’ is king.
Despite his capacity for giving his guests anything they might desire, Ferdinand often dined only on cold toast and water; as Lillie Langtry recalled, ‘whenever he ate a meal a tray of medicine bottles appeared as an antidote’.
6. A Venetian chandelier hangs in the Green Boudoir, offset by lavishly gilded panels and a delicate frieze 7. A wall of the East Gallery is hung with panoramic views of Venice, both by Francesco Guardi (c. 1755-60)
His younger sister Alice inherited the house after his death – he died with no heirs after his young wife Evelina and daughter died in childbirth. He went on to establish the Evelina Children’s Hospital in south London (now part of St Thomas’ Hospital) in their memory.
The interior treasures are complemented by the gardens, one of the finest Victorian designs in Britain. The aviary still houses species that Ferdinand would show to his friends in the 1880s. The parterre has been painstakingly restored alongside seasonal displays and shady walks through the grounds, where fountains and statuary dazzle and calm in unison.
8. Winston Churchill slept in the Louis XVI bed in the Portico Bedroom – and smoked his cigars on its balcony 9. Beauvais tapestries line the walls in the Dining Room 10. Dutch paintings, a secretaire and Savonnerie carpets made for Louis XVI add grandeur to the Morning Room
Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: 01296-653226, www.waddesdon.org.uk
Waddesdon: The Biography Of A Rothschild House, by Michael Hall, is published by The Rothschild Foundation, priced £35.
The architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur built him a palace, or rather, a chateau plucked straight from the banks of the Loire and sited in the lush green countryside. The vernacular suited Rothschild’s sensibility, and the two subsequent generations who lived there packed it full of priceless, unique, well-chosen paintings and antiques. The 45 rooms on view combine the best in 18th-century French furniture and decorative arts, alongside museum-quality English portraits and Dutch Old Masters.
1. In the Breakfast Room an elaborate glass chandelier reflects the intricate gilt detailing on the curving wood panels. Double doors lead through into an ante room, giving a distant view of the garden 2. The flower-decked Dining Room table is laid as for an 1890s partyIt is a remarkable tribute to a family who for centuries has influenced and supported the arts, yet, for the most part, were outsiders. Despite becoming one of the richest men in Frankfurt, Ferdinand’s great-grandfather, Mayer Amschel Rothschild, like all the Jewish community, was forced to live (and die) in the city’s walled ghetto, the Judengasse. His great-grandmother lived in the house on Judengasse until her death in 1849, aged 95, and when the rest of the ghetto was finally swept away, her sons bought the house and preserved it. It was eventually destroyed by a bomb in 1944.
Mercifully, Waddesdon Manor survived the war intact – the Green Boudoir, for instance, resplendent with Meissen candelabra and mantel clock. The Dining Room is capable of seating 42 diners, all with perfect views of the Beauvais tapestries. The silver-service dinner set, commissioned for George III , can be seen here. And the Portico bedroom, one of 16 guest bedrooms, is where Winston Churchill slept in the Louis XVI four-poster bed – it has a balcony, the only one at the house, which gave him somewhere to smoke his cigars.
3. A mid 18th century painted chest of drawers is enhanced by an intricate frieze and ormolu mounts 4. In the White Drawing Room, there is a display of George III’s silver dinner service 5. Painted flowers and birds adorn 18th-century panels Generations of royalty, politicians, artists and writers all were entertained in the grandest fashion by a family noted for their generosity. The cellar, which was modelled on the private cellars at Château Lafite Rothschild, contains thousands of bottles of wine, some dating back to the 19th century.
Nowadays, the vast kitchens where Ferdinand’s much-feted chef, Auguste Chalanger, and his confectioner, Arthur Chategner (lifted from the Tsar) would produce lavish banquets, form part of the house’s excellent restaurant. The huge ranges and the servants’ dining hall still look remarkably modern, especially in an age where ‘vintage’ is king.
Despite his capacity for giving his guests anything they might desire, Ferdinand often dined only on cold toast and water; as Lillie Langtry recalled, ‘whenever he ate a meal a tray of medicine bottles appeared as an antidote’.
6. A Venetian chandelier hangs in the Green Boudoir, offset by lavishly gilded panels and a delicate frieze 7. A wall of the East Gallery is hung with panoramic views of Venice, both by Francesco Guardi (c. 1755-60) His younger sister Alice inherited the house after his death – he died with no heirs after his young wife Evelina and daughter died in childbirth. He went on to establish the Evelina Children’s Hospital in south London (now part of St Thomas’ Hospital) in their memory.
The interior treasures are complemented by the gardens, one of the finest Victorian designs in Britain. The aviary still houses species that Ferdinand would show to his friends in the 1880s. The parterre has been painstakingly restored alongside seasonal displays and shady walks through the grounds, where fountains and statuary dazzle and calm in unison.
8. Winston Churchill slept in the Louis XVI bed in the Portico Bedroom – and smoked his cigars on its balcony 9. Beauvais tapestries line the walls in the Dining Room 10. Dutch paintings, a secretaire and Savonnerie carpets made for Louis XVI add grandeur to the Morning Room Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: 01296-653226, www.waddesdon.org.uk
Waddesdon: The Biography Of A Rothschild House, by Michael Hall, is published by The Rothschild Foundation, priced £35.