The ceiling of the Blue Velvet Room, which is thought to have been painted by William Kent
Details
Chiswick House and gardens reflect the architectural achievements of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington who created the landscape gardens from 1716 onwards and the elegant neo-Palladian villa between 1726 and 1729. William Kent, Burlington’s protégé and collaborator, was responsible for some of the fine interiors as well as features in the gardens.
The estate was inherited by the Dukes of Devonshire through marriage, with the 5th Duke adding wings to the villa in the 1780s and enhancing the gardens.
Venue
Chiswick House, Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London W4 2RP
Event Organisers
Sarah Bowles and Philippa Barton
Cost
Cost of the visit is £95 - plus Eventbrite booking fee
Programme
10.50am
Meet in the forecourt of Chiswick House
11.00am
Visit to Chiswick House with Ricky Pound, Historian and former Site Manager at Chiswick House
Chiswick House was the creation of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, who was inspired by descriptions of Roman villas and the designs of Palladio, Scamozzi and Inigo Jones. Built between 1726 and 1729, its architectural form and novel combination of room shapes was be to hugely influential. William Kent, Burlington’s protégé and collaborator, was responsible for some of the fine ceilings and much of the furniture.
1.00pm
Lunch
2.15pm - 3.45pm
Visit to the gardens of Chiswick House with Ricky Pound
Lord Burlington’s early formal designs for the gardens, dating from 1716 onwards, were softened into a more natural landscape by William Kent and combined with statuary, temples and grottos.
The 5th Duke of Devonshire initiated a series of changes to the gardens at the end of the eighteenth century, including a stone bridge over the lake, a large conservatory designed by Samuel Ware and completed in 1813 and a semi-circular ‘Italian’ garden designed by Lewis Kennedy and completed in 1814