List of works by Lewis Vulliamy on large houses

Lewis Vulliamy (1791–1871) was an English architect who is best known for his work on large houses.[1] He was born in Pall Mall, London,[1] into a family of clock and watchmakers.[2] At the age of 16 he was articled to the architect Robert Smirke, and from 1809 he studied at the Royal Academy Schools where he won the silver and gold medals. In 1818 he was awarded a scholarship from the academy, allowing him to study for four years on the continent where he spent most of the time in Italy.[1]

Westonbirt House in Gloucestershire

On his return to England, Vulliamy established his practice in Oxford Street, London. His first commission was for work on Syston Park in Lincolnshire for Sir John Hayford Thorold, Bt.[1] Following the Church Building Acts of 1818 and 1824, he became involved with the Church Commissioners, designing, with others, a series of churches that have become to be known as Commissioners' churches. Vulliamy designed at least 14 churches for the Commissioners.[3] He also designed a variety of public buildings, including a grandstand at Wolverhampton Racecourse, the Lock Hospital in Paddington, new premises for The Law Society in London, and the re-fronting of the premises of the Royal Institution, also in London.[1]

Vulliamy's best known works were on large country and town houses. In addition to his work on Syston Park, he designed other country houses, including Boothby Hall, Lincolnshire. His major patron was Robert Stayner Holford, for whom he carried out work on Westonbirt House in Gloucestershire, and also designed his London residence, Dorchester House in Park Lane. These two houses are considered to be Vulliamy's most important works.[1] Vulliamy published two works: The Bridge of the SSa. Trinita, over the Arno at Florence (1822), and Examples of ornamental sculpture in architecture (1823). For several years he suffered from chronic bronchitis, and he died at his home on Clapham Common in 1871. His estate was valued at about £60,000 (equivalent to £5,630,000 in 2019).[1][4]

This list contains details on Vulliamy's work on large houses.

Key

Grade	Criteria[5]
Grade I	Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II*	Particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II	Buildings of national importance and special interest.
"—" denotes a work that is not graded.

Works

Name	Location	Photograph	Date	Notes	Grade
Syston Park	Syston, Lincolnshire 52.9535°N 0.6095°W		1815	Repair and enlargement of the house. In 1822–24 he added a library wing. The house was demolished in 1923.[1][6]
Boothby Hall	Boothby Pagnell, Lincolnshire 52.8649°N 0.5593°W		c. 1824	Rebuilding of a country house dating from about 1630.[1][7]	II
Leadenham House	Leadenham, Lincolnshire 53.0551°N 0.5851°W		1826–29	Additions made to a house dating from the late 18th century.[8]	II*
Bloxholm Hall	Bloxholm, Lincolnshire 53.0714°N 0.4139°W		1827	Additions made to a country house dating from 1707. Most of it was demolished in the 1960s, leaving the west wing and stables.[9]	II
Norton Place	Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire 53.4057°N 0.5393°W		c. 1830	Alterations to a house dating from 1776 for Sir Montagu Cholmeley.[10]	I
Twyford House	Thorley, Hertfordshire 51.8524°N 0.1667°E		1835	Alterations.[11]	II*
Friday Hill House	Friday Hill, Chingford, Waltham Forest, Greater London 51.6237°N 0.0070°E		1839	A house for R G Heathcote.[12]	II
Dingestow Court	Dingestow, Monmouthshire, Wales 51.7834°N 2.7978°W		1845–46	South front added for John Bosanquet.[13]	II*
Tregothnan	St Michael Penkevil, Cornwall 50.2353°N 5.0057°W		1845–48	Additional building to a house dating from 1650.[14]	I
Chestal House	Cam, Gloucestershire 51.6823°N 2.3430°W		1848	A large country house for James Phelps.[15]	II
Dorchester House	Park Lane, Westminster, Greater London 51.5072°N 0.1525°W		1853–57	Built as a town house for Robert Stayner Holford. Demolished 1929 and replaced by the Dorchester Hotel.[1]
Shernfold Park	Frant, East Sussex 51.0913°N 0.2700°E		1855	A country house for P. Ashburnham.[16]	II
Highnam Court	Highnam, Gloucestershire 51.8721°N 2.3013°W		1855	A house dating from the 17th century, altered for Thomas Gambier Parry.[17]	I
Seaham Hall	Seaham, County Durham 54.8481°N 1.3463°W		1861	Additions made to a house dating from the late 18th century for Frances, Lady Londonderry. Later a hotel.[18]	II
Westonbirt House	Westonbirt, Gloucestershire 51.6052°N 2.1976°W		1863–70	A large country house for Robert Stayner Holford. As of 2012 it is part of Westonbirt School. The ha-ha, a sundial, and a statue of Mercury, were also designed by Vulliamy.[1][19][20][21][22]	I

See also

• List of ecclesiastical works by Lewis Vulliamy
• List of miscellaneous works by Lewis Vulliamy

References

1. Bowdler, Roger (2004), "Vulliamy, Lewis(1791–1871)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, retrieved 21 April 2012 ((subscription or UK public library membership required))
2. Smith, Roger (2008) [2004], "Vulliamy Family (per. c. 1730–1886)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, retrieved 21 April 2012 ((subscription or UK public library membership required))
3. Port, M. H. (2006), 600 New Churches: The Church Building Commission 1818–1856 (2nd ed.), Reading: Spire Books, pp. 327–341, ISBN 978-1-904965-08-4
4. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017), "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", MeasuringWorth, retrieved 2 February 2020
5. Listed Buildings, Historic England, retrieved 29 March 2015
6. Syston, GENUKI, retrieved 21 April 2012
7. Historic England, "Boothby Hall, Boothby Pagnell (1165613)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
8. Historic England, "Leadenham House (1061877)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 19 April 2012
9. Historic England, "Bloxholm Hall Farmhouse (1254111)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
10. Historic England, "Norton Place, Bishop Norton (1359423)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 21 April 2012
11. Historic England, "Twyford House, Thorley (1213957)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
12. Historic England, "Friday Hill House, Waltham Forest (1250869)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
13. Cadw, "Dingestow Court (2061)", National Historic Assets of Wales, retrieved 11 April 2019
14. Historic England, "Tregothnan, St. Michael Penkevil (1141069)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 19 April 2012
15. Historic England, "Chestal House, Dursley (1219904)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
16. Historic England, "Shernfold Park, Frant (1028366)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 19 April 2012
17. Historic England, "Highnam Court (1340325)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
18. Historic England, "Seaham Hall Hotel (1221665)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
19. Historic England, "Westonbirt House with south terrace (1235736)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
20. Historic England, "Ha ha to south of Westonbirt House (1236029)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
21. Historic England, "Sundial immediately southeast of main block of Westonbirt House (1264796)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012
22. Historic England, "Statue of Mercury in sunken gardento southeast of Italian Garden at Westonbirt House (1264797)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 April 2012