Victorian estate around high Gothic revival country house. Comprises formal garden, mature woodland, and meadow. Primarily laid out by William Gibbs in 1863 and his son, Antony (1880/90). Gardens worked but structure untouched from 1930 to 2001 when NT took over the property. Now extensively restored in part using HLF funding. Interest includes substantial Italianate-style pathways and flower beds, a large terrace with transition views, a small lake currently being restored, rose garden, topiary walks, well presented kitchen garden, stable block and model farm.
- Text References
No public text on gardens although there are several NT reports.
NT Tyntesfield guidebook ISBN 978-1-911384-97-7 Edition 2018
Fertile Fortunes - the story of Tyntesfield James Miller 2003/6 pub NT
ISBN 13-978-1-90440040-9
The Victorian Country House Mark Girouard 1971/9 pub Yale Universary Press ISBN 0-300-02390-1 - Associated Buildings
At its peak in the 1890's until 2001, the estate included two other substantial houses and their surrounding estates-Belmont & Charlton (see seperate entry). The Charlton estate included an early victorian model farm which is now a childrens hospice.
As well as estate buildings on site, the Gibbs Family purchased several properties in Failand and Flax Bourton and influenced the building of public buildings and two, successive railway stations.
Barrow Court estate was bought by the second son of William Gibbs, the builder of Tyntesfield and developed in some style. It still exists albeit as several homes. - Historic Development of the site
The Tyntesfield site was first developed in about 1820 when the owner of Belmont needed a house for his son. A comparatively modest house was built and the gardens/park were probably laid out in a rustic style with groups of native trees running up to the house. William Gibbs purchased the house in 1843 by which time he could commute to his business in London whilst his growing family could stay at Tyntesfield. By 1863, he had effectively retired and threw himself into developing the estate with his considerable fortune aquired from the South American Guano trade. William and his arcihtect, John Norton, redesigned the house and laid out the gardens. Following Williams death in 1875, his son, Antony, made several changes to the layout to give the garden we see today. A notable addition was in 1896 with William Cave designing the Wrenaisance-style Kitchen garden buildings aroung the existing walled garden.
The third generation, George Gibbs, first Baron Wraxall, died relatively young in 1930 and the whole estate just stood still until Richard Gibbs died in 2000 at which point the NT purchased the estate - Planning History
Current planning applications are
18/P/4480/FUL
18/P/4994/FUL
19/P/0432/FUL
19/P/0433/FUL - Conservation Management Plan
Detailed plans held by NT
- Other Notes
Site is on a limestone ridge and there seem to be few clay intrusions to hold water. This leads to an alkaline soil with no surface water except where man-induced. There is a complicated Victorian water system both for hard and soft water to supply the site and fill the lake
- Photos
