Page 27 - link magazine

Swirdkr Wide

Lydiard's Tudor past uncovered Fake That
Friday 9th May 2008
Lydiard House has not always looked like it does today and recent con-
servation building work at Lydiard House has revealed some of the hidden Summer Ball
secrets of the building that pre-date the Georgian remodelling of the house, Burns Night Friday 15th August 2008
writes Sarah Finch-Crisp, head of Heritage at Swindon Council. Friday 25th Janua ry 2008
Rat Pack Tribute Night
Valentine Evening rum Friday 26th September 2008
It is known that Lydiard House, the The positioning of these win-
Friday 15th February 2008 MaWk
country seat of the St John family, dows indicates that the floor levels Ladies Night
n
was re-fashioned in the 1740s in in this earlier building were differ- Queen Tribute Night Friday 24th October 2008
the classic Palladian style but the ent to that of the current 1740s Friday 14th March 2008 ,;^u n
earlier house dates back to Tudor house. Other visible features in- 70's Night
ti mes. clude some mason's marks cut Friday 18th April 2008
The St John family prided them- into the quoin - the cornerstone 'All events include a 3 course dinner, disco and bar.
selves on their family connections that anchors the edge of the build-
with the royal Tudor dynasty. Above ing wall, that would have been
the extraordinary painted triptych made by the later 16th or 17th DEVERE
in St Mary's Church is a portrait Century stone-workers to identify venues
of St John ancestress Margaret their work. There is also evidence
Beauchamp, whose daughter of a front door and porch which
Margaret Beaufort was the mother was the original entrance to the
of Henry VII. house, facing the church.

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Lydiard House c. 1700. Image: Warwick County Record Office
Family connections were main- These historic features have
tained during the reign of Queen been surveyed, photographed and
Elizabeth I. who visited John and new architectural drawings will be
Lucy St John at Lydiard Park in produced to give a reconstruction Old Bell
1 592 whilst touring the coun- of the appearance of the house
try. Her huge retinue would have before John, 2nd Viscount St John
camped in the park and she would commissioned the remodelling, by Pottery & Crafts
have been entertained with her the eminent builder Roger Morris,
closest companions and advi- in the 1740s. High Street, Lechlade • Tel: 01367 252608
sors in the house. It is most likely The old 20th Century render
that John St John was knighted had to be removed as not only was E-mail: [email protected]
by Elizabeth during this visit. His part of it shearing away but damp www. oldbellpottery.com
portrait and that of Lucy his wife was being trapped and causing
can be seen in the State Rooms at severe decay to the parapets. This
Lydiard House. is in part due to the restoration SPECIALISTS IN
Preparations for the visit must made by Swindon Corporation in
have been immense and it is evi- the 1950s, when quality materials DOLLS HOUSE
dence of this early house where were not available.
the occasion took place, which Sixty years on, with the benefit MINIATURES
was revealed during the recent of better methods and materials,
restoration works. our specialist contractor Nimbus Traditional games
Clues to the style and fabric of Conservation has completely re- and toys.
this much earlier Tudor building rendered and lime-washed the
were discovered when the thick rear of the house using historically Local craft items
layer of 1950s concrete render appropriate materials, as part of
was removed from the whole of the on-going historic conservation
the northern, rear elevation of Lyd- programme for this Grade I listed FOR GREAT GIFT IDEAS
iard House. In between the large building.
Georgian windows the mould- Knitting Et Haberdashery t.
ings and stops, which surrounded Volunteers needed Sewing needs: X-stitch — Tapestry — Rowan
the heads of windows belong- in the park — Jaeger — Patons — Yarns and Patterns
ing to the earlier 16th and 17th During Get Volunteering Week. 14
Century house, could be clearly - 19 January. BBC Radio Swindon Mail order service available. _
seen. Some of these related to will be calling for people to turn up In the stable and garden
existing openings but in several in their hundreds on Saturday 19
cases these were the remains of January to clear away grass which A great selection of local pottery. China seconds from
windows which have been blocked is choking some of the 1 1,000 trees -on-Trent. Pots, planters & ornaments from around the world
and abandoned during later al- planted in the park during the last Mon to Sat loam to 5pm • Sun 11 am to 5pm
terations. 1 8 months.