Bowden Park, Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 (Grade I)

LACOCK BOWDEN HILL ST 96 NW (north side) 3/9 Bowden Park 20.12.60 GV I

Country House, 1796 by James Wyatt for Barnard Dickinson, extended c1850 for Capt. J.N. Gladstone, the C19 extensions reduced and remodelled c1955 by K. Peacock. Ashlar neo-classical mansion with low-pitched slate roofs and ashlar stacks. Two storeys, 5-window front, 3 in full-height semi-circular bow fronted by massive detached Ionic columns. Continuous entablature and low parapet. Centre bow is raised on 5 stone steps, 3 ground floor French windows in architraves, 3 first floor 12-pane sashes in architraves with sill band. Wings each side are exceptionally well detailed with broad corner piers and main walling slightly recessed. Moulded plinth, moulded ground floor sill course, and plain first floor sill band, broken forward at outer piers. Ground floor 6- 18-6 pane tripartite sash in segmental-headed sunk frame and first floor finely carved foliage panel. Side elevations have similar mouldings continued around, but frieze of entablature is omitted. Five-window ranges of sashes in architraves. Cornices to long ground floor sashes. C19 matching extension to right of south side has 2-storey front and centre bow. Three-window range of sashes, tripartite to centre. Projecting end section includes an original ground floor with blank arch, part of an orangery, with C19 upper floor with blank sunk panel and incised sundial. North L-plan rear wing appears largely c1950 in matching style with door in ornate corniced doorcase, possibly resited. Outstanding interiors by Wyatt with complete original plasterwork, marble fireplaces and mahogany doors. Bowden Park was a late C17 house built for G. Johnson. Estate was sold 1751 to E. Dickinson of Monks Park, Corsham, the house rebuilt for his son (d 1814) and passed to the Dickinson Harmer family before being sold in 1849 to Captain Gladstone (1807-63), brother of W. E. Gladstone. (Conoisseur, April 1961; New Vitruvius Britannicus (1819) Plate 1; N. Pevsner, Wiltshire, 1975, 120)