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Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire

In 1688 James II fled to France during the confused events known as the Glorious Revolution. Parliament decided to replace James with the Dutch aristocrat, William of Orange, and his wife Mary, daughter of James II. Dyrham Park was the home of William Blathwayt, a civil servant who became rich serving William and Mary, and then Queen Anne. Work started on Dyrham Park in 1694. By 1704 William Talman, the architect of Chatsworth, - another grand house strongly linked with the Glorious Revolution - had become involved.

With fashions tending to follow a royal example, all things Dutch became popular in the years following 1688. Dyrham Park has a large collection of Dutch decorative art, reflecting the tastes of those times. It was in the decades around 1688 that lending money at interest was transformed from a sin into a useful business tool. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there were huge fortunes to be made, and the acceptance of money lending partly explains Britain's success and wealth during this period. One outcome of new wealth was the creation of a large servant class. By 1851 there were 751,540 servants in the census. By 1891 there were 1,386,167, and in London one person in every fifteen was in service. (Figures quoted by A.N. Wilson in The Victorians). This huge group of people often gets forgotten. At Dyrham, Victorian domestic quarters have been restored, giving an insight into the kind of life led by so many people.

 

The gardens at Dyrham were originally formal. But the eighteenth century was to see a move towards natural landscaping in garden design. By the late eighteenth century Dyrham's formal gardens were cleared, and replaced by a landscaped park, under the direction of Humphrey Repton and Charles Harcourt Masters. A small section of formal garden survives behind the house around the two lakes.

 

Opening Times: The park is open everyday all year 11am - 5.30pm.

The house is open 13th March until the 31st October, Friday to Tuesday, 11am - 5pm.

Last admission one hour before closing. Park closed 25th December.

The g arden, tea room and shop: open daily, 5th July to 29th August, 11am - 5pm.

From 13th March to 4th July, and 30th August to 31st October open Friday to Tuesday 11am - 5pm.

From 6th November to 19th December, weekends only 11am - 4pm.

Address: Dyrham Park, Dyrham, near Bath, Gloucestershire SN14 8ER

 

Directions: Dyrham Park is south of Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, a few miles south of junction 18 of the M4, off the A46. Click here for an interactive map centred on Dyrham Park.

Access: There is level access to part of the house, but there are many stairs, uneven floors and low doorways. Grounds have steep slopes in places, but there is an accessible route. Adapted toilet facilities can be found in the visitor car park and stable courtyard. Braille and large print guides are provided.

 

 

 

 

Contact:

telephone: 0117 937 2501

e-mail: dyrhampark@nationaltrust.org.uk

web site: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-dyrhampark.htm