Houghton House in Ampthill, Bedfordshire is a Grade I listed building now in ruins. It is now maintained by English Heritage and they have restored it to what you see today.
The house was commissioned in 1615 by Mary Herbert, the Dowager Countess of Pembroke to be used as a hunting lodge. Mary was a well-connected member of the court of King James I and it was he who granted Mary the land. The building was finished in 1621 and on completion it was honoured by a visit from the King. Not long after this Mary died of smallpox and the King granted the house and lands to the Bruce family.
The family eventually sold the lands and house to the Duke of Bedford, who rented the park but not the house to his neighbour. Eventually unable to rent the house without the land the Duke ordered the house to be dismantled and it fell into ruins.
Tags: © Fred255 Photography 2014 1dsmk3 1ds Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Canon EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM ef L Lens Landscapes Landscape L Abandoned architectural photography Ampthill Bedfordshire Duke of Bedford manfrotto Mark III Mary Herbert Grade I listed building England English Heritage Dowager Countess of Pembroke hunting lodge Bruce family dismantled smallpox ruin haunted HDR
© All Rights Reserved
Wrest Park belonged to the powerful de Grey family, Earls of Kent, from 1280 into the 19th century. The present house here was built in 1834 and is the third on this site. It is a rare example in England of the French chateau style in architecture - built, not surprisingly, by a French architect.
The house was used in the early 19th century as a residence for the US Ambassador, but it is now used by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering. The state rooms can be seen by visitors, and are now administered by English Heritage
Tags: 1dsmk3 1DS 3 Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Canon EF L Lens EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM uk USM pavilion Thomas Archer FRED255 Fred de Grey family English Heritage National Institute of Agricultural Engineering © Fred255 Photography 2014 Earls of Kent Wrest Park GreatPhotographers greaterphotographers GP French architect French chateau style US Ambassador 19th century
© All Rights Reserved
Wrest Park belonged to the powerful de Grey family, Earls of Kent, from 1280 into the 19th century. The present house here was built in 1834 and is the third on this site. It is a rare example in England of the French chateau style in architecture - built, not surprisingly, by a French architect.
The house was used in the early 19th century as a residence for the US Ambassador, but it is now used by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering. The state rooms can be seen by visitors, and are now administered by English Heritage
Tags: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III England eos 1dsmk3 1ds 1DS 3 EOS-1Ds manfrotto Mark III EF EF17-40mm f/4L USM L Lens Landscapes Landscape L GreatPhotographers greaterphotographers GP Gardens Wrest Park © Fred255 Photography 2014 Canon de Grey family Earls of Kent US Ambassador FRED255 Fred French architect French chateau style National Institute of Agricultural Engineering English Heritage uk USM
© All Rights Reserved
Houghton House in Ampthill, Bedfordshire is a Grade I listed building now in ruins. It is now maintained by English Heritage and they have restored it to what you see today.
The house was commissioned in 1615 by Mary Herbert, the Dowager Countess of Pembroke to be used as a hunting lodge. Mary was a well-connected member of the court of King James I and it was he who granted Mary the land. The building was finished in 1621 and on completion it was honoured by a visit from the King. Not long after this Mary died of smallpox and the King granted the house and lands to the Bruce family.
The family eventually sold the lands and house to the Duke of Bedford, who rented the park but not the house to his neighbour. Eventually unable to rent the house without the land the Duke ordered the house to be dismantled and it fell into ruins.
A place I would not want to visit after dark. There have been reports of ghostly shadows that appear and vanish once seen. I watched a large dark figure go into a room and vanish in front of me.
Note even in the day time outside the camera was not focusing as it should do. I did not get a single shot of the inside. Camera was fine later when I went to Wrest Park.
Tags: 1ds 1DS 3 EOS-1Ds Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III manfrotto Mark III EF EF17-40mm f/4L USM EF17-40mm Canon L Lens Abandoned architectural photography HDR House Historic Houghton House haunted Bedfordshire Grade I listed building GreatPhotographers greaterphotographers © Fred255 Photography 2014 England English Heritage Mary Herbert Dowager Countess of Pembroke King James King James I Duke of Bedford Bruce family smallpox Ampthill dismantled uk FRED255 Fred
© All Rights Reserved
Wrest Park belonged to the powerful de Grey family, Earls of Kent, from 1280 into the 19th century. The present house here was built in 1834 and is the third on this site. It is a rare example in England of the French chateau style in architecture - built, not surprisingly, by a French architect.
The house was used in the early 19th century as a residence for the US Ambassador, but it is now used by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering. The state rooms can be seen by visitors, and are now administered by English Heritage
Tags: 1dsmk3 1ds Canon Canon EOS-1D Mark III 28mm EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM manfrotto Mark III de Grey family Water Wrest Park Bedfordshire architectural photography FRED255 Fred French architect French chateau style © 2014 © Fred255 Photography 2014 England EF L Lens Landscapes Landscape L English Heritage uk USM National Institute of Agricultural Engineering
© All Rights Reserved