W.
Waddington, —— Esq. [213]. (see [Cold Harbour])
Walcot, —— Esq. [94].
Wales, H. R. H. the Princess Charlotte of, and H. S. H. the Prince of Saxe-Cobourg, [25]. (see [Claremont Park])
Walker, —— Esq. [67]. (see [Muntham])
Walker, —— Esq. [217]. (see [Angmering Park])
Walsham, —— Esq. [62].
Ward, —— Esq. [61]. (see [Grove House])
Wardour Castle, [138], the beautiful seat of the noble family of Arundel. This magnificent mansion is situated on a gentle eminence, surrounded by a lawn and thick woods, about a mile from the site of the ancient castle, now only presenting a mass of ivy-crowned ruins, having been destroyed in two sieges which it sustained in the reign of Charles the First: the first, against a detachment of the parliament forces, 1300 strong, under Sir Edward Hungerford, with a garrison, consisting of only 25 men, under the command of the Lady Blanch, Countess of Arundel (daughter of the Earl of Worcester), who, bravely opposed every effort of the enemy to obtain possession of the fortress, during a vigorous bombardment of five days, and at length surrendered upon the most honourable terms. It was afterwards besieged by the royal army, under the command of the Earl of Arundel and Sir Francis Doddington. From the injuries sustained in these sieges, the castle became uninhabitable, and afterwards, being totally neglected, the all-defacing hand of time has completed its destruction, leaving not sufficient now remaining to ascertain even its extent and arrangement. The site of these ruins is beneath a hill covered with wood, the summit of which commands some beautiful and distant views. Approaching the new mansion by the principal entrance to the grounds, on the road between Salisbury and Shaftesbury, it is discovered in the bosom of a thick grove, and at length majestically bursts upon the view. The building is composed of free stone, consisting of a centre and two wings, projecting from the body on the north side, in a curvilinear form. The entrance towards the north is handsomely ornamented with pilasters and half columns, of the Corinthian order: this entrance opens into a spacious hall, which conducts to the rotunda stair-case, allowed to be the finest specimen of ornamental architecture in the kingdom. The apartments are numerous, spacious, and elegant, decorated in the most costly style, enriched with an extensive and valuable collection of paintings, and many curious specimens of carved work. In the west wing of the house is the Chapel, which is most superbly and appropriately embellished. The grounds are diversified by much inequality of surface, richly ornamented by numerous plantations, and interspersed with several spacious sheets of water, most tastefully and happily blended. To the south-east the ruins of the old castle are seen, over the venerable walls of which the mantling ivy most luxuriantly spreads its never varying foliage, presenting in the view from the house, an object strikingly beautiful in this most picturesque and delightful scene, which is terminated by a fine hanging wood.
Warren House, [16].
Webster, Sir Godfrey, [22]. (see [Battle Abbey])
Wellesley, W. Pole Tilney Long, [74]. (see [Tilney Hall])
Werrington House, [152], a seat of the Duke of Northumberland. The house is desirably situated in a well-wooded park, commanding views richly diversified and expansive. In front of the house are two structures, intended as architectural ornaments; one is an artificial ruined castle, and the other a triumphal arch.
Westbrook House, [96].
Westcomb Park, [1], the seat of W. Foreman, Esq. This is an ancient manor, and the house commands some fine prospects.
West Grinsted Park, [65], the seat of W. Burrell, Esq. The house is a handsome stone building.
Westmorland, Earl of, [141]. (see [Brympton House])
Weston, J. W. Esq. [26]. (see [Sutton Place])
Whalley Smythe Gardiner, Sir James, [98]. (see [Roch Court])
Whatcomb House, [108].
Wheble, James, Esq. [177]. (see [Woodley Lodge])
White, —— Esq. [85]. (see [Amfield House])
White House, [173].
White Knights, [177], the seat of the Duke of Marlborough. The house is a plain white building, situated nearly in the centre of the grounds, which are divided by an irregular sheet of water into pasture and arable lands. The borders of this lake are rendered extremely beautiful, the lawns which slope gently to its margin being adorned with groves of trees. An avenue of fine elms leads to the gate at the entrance of the park, from Reading. The grounds are so disposed, as at proper openings to admit the most enchanting views of the surrounding country, which, from this spot, is peculiarly interesting. Here nature, improved by the hand of art, presents a most beautiful specimen of the mixture of the agreeable with the useful.
Whiteway, [117].
Whitworth, Lord, [18]. (see [Knowle Park])
Wilbury Park, [160], the seat of Sir C. Mallet, Bart. The house is composed of stone, built in the reign of Queen Ann, comprising a centre and two wings corresponding. Internal convenience appears to have been more studied in the construction of this mansion, than external splendor. It is well screened with wood, forming a striking contrast to the almost steril downs of Salisbury Plain, of which this demesne once formed a part; but by human industry and skill, it is now rendered fertile, covered with luxuriant and flourishing plantations, and replete with sylvan beauties.
Wilkes, —— Esq. [55]. (see [Rooksnest])
Willes, —— Esq. [181]. (see [Hungerford Park])
Willett, —— Esq. [90]. (see [Merley House])
Wilmot, —— Esq. [80]. (see [Farnborough Place])
Wilson, Lady Spencer, [1]. (see [Charlton House])
Wilton House, [136], [208], the seat of the Earl of Pembroke. This edifice is a large and extensive pile, situated in a beautiful park; but from having been erected at different periods, the styles of architecture are very dissimilar. The present noble proprietor has considerably enlarged and improved the mansion. The approach is through a triumphal arch, which is surmounted by a bold equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. In an extensive gallery, and other apartments, are deposited a choice and valuable collection of ancient sculpture and paintings. The park is ornamented with plantations, and through it flows a fine stream of water, judiciously widened in places, forming beautiful lakes, embellished with woody islands. It also possesses the advantage of elevated ground, from whence many picturesque views are obtained.
Wiltshire, —— Esq. [186]. (see [Shockerwick])
Wimbledon Park, [23], the seat of Earl Spencer. The house is a handsome edifice, finished in 1801, advantageously situated, commanding beautiful and extensive views. The park, which contains 1200 acres, is planted and laid out with great taste, adorned with a sheet of water which covers fifty acres.
Winchester, Bishop of, [81]. (see [Farnham Castle])
Windmill Hill, [80].
Windsor Castle, [175]. This magnificent pile, either viewed as a fortress, or Royal palace, can never fail to excite the most lively interest in the spectator; advantageously situated on the summit of a commanding hill, environed by the most luxuriant and beautifully diversified country imaginable; through which the pellucid Thames, alike celebrated for beauty and utility, winds its serpentine course, laving the foot of the hill on which stands this noble palace, truly worthy to be the residence of a British Monarch, which honourable distinction, with little interruption, it has enjoyed since the reign of its founder, William the Conqueror, to the present time.
In a work like this, the object of which is general information, more than particular description, a minute detail cannot be entered into, on a subject sufficient to form a work in itself; replete with every variety of nature and art. The importance of Windsor Castle, as a fortress, save in appearance, is entirely superseded, the remaining appurtenances of which appear to be retained merely as objects of ornament. The most remarkable part of the building is The Keep, or Round Tower, built on a lofty artificial mount, in the centre of the castle. The beauty and variety of the views from the summit of this building, extending over a boundless landscape, enriched with the most luxuriant and highly cultivated scenery, are almost indescribable.
“Heavens! what a goodly prospect spreads around,
“Of hills, and dales, and woods, and lawns, and spires,
“And glittering towns, and gilded streams, till all
“The stretching landscape into smoke decays!”
Thomson.
On a board placed near the summit of the tower, the names of the following counties, which are from thence seen, are inscribed: Middlesex, Essex, Herts, Bucks, Berks, Oxford, Wilts, Hants, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, and Bedford. The dome of St. Paul’s is also plainly distinguishable on a clear day.
The state apartments are magnificent, and fitted up in a superb style of elegance. The furniture is rich; many of the ceilings are finely painted; and a great number of pictures, by the most eminent masters, adorn the different chambers, among which are the celebrated Cartoons of Raphael.
The little park occupies the north and east sides, under the terrace of the castle. It is about four miles in circumference: its grounds are composed of a pleasing inequality, diversified by groupes of stately trees, and other woody scenery, extending to the village of Datchet, and declining towards the Thames.
Windsor Park, [71], denominated Great, to distinguish it from the park contiguous to the Castle. This park is about fourteen miles in circumference, and since its reversion to His Majesty (on the death of the late Duke of Cumberland), has undergone alterations which render it at once a scene of beauty and utility, 1400 acres being appropriated to the purposes of experimental farming; and the remaining 2400 acres, which together constitute the area of the whole, is laid out in the most judicious manner possible, well stocked with deer, and comprising every other requisite necessary to render it worthy of its royal possessor. Towards the southern extremity of the park is a beautiful and extensive piece of water, over which is an elegant stone bridge, which, together with the water, considerably enlivens and adds dignity to the whole.
The royal forest, making a circuit of about 56 miles, abounds with deer, and every other species of game, and is possessed of every attraction for the sports of the field, which, with the manly exercises of the chase, has been the favourite amusements of many successive Kings of England.
Winkton House, [94].
Winterton, Earl of, [38]. (see [Shillinglee Park])
Wither, —— Esq. [99]. (see [Manydown])
Wombwell Hall, [3], the seat of —— Harman, Esq. The grounds surrounding the house are most tastefully disposed, and do great credit to Mr. Repton, the landscape gardener.
Woodbarrow House, [188].
Woodbridge, —— Esq. [48].
Woodcot Park, [62].
Woodlands, [1]. This mansion was erected, and the grounds laid out, about the year 1772, by John Julius Angerstein, Esq. The front of the building displays a handsome portico, with statues and basso-relievos at the sides: the interior is very tastefully fitted up, and contains a small but well chosen collection of pictures. The grounds are extremely pleasant; the views of the river, and of the adjacent parts of Essex and Kent, are very fine. The Botanic Garden has been recently improved by the erection of a new green-house, &c. and now contains one of the most extensive collections of curious plants and heaths in the kingdom.
Woodley Lodge, [177].
Wood, Sir Mark, [47], [54]. (see [Gatton Park])
Woolhampton House, [179], the seat of Lord Falmouth, is a good mansion, standing on an elevated spot, but well screened with woods. From many parts of the grounds belonging to this seat, a great variety of pleasing rural scenery is presented to view. The sides of the hills are composed of steep and bold irregularities, shelving into deep and solemn vallies, beautifully adorned by a variety of woody scenery, intermixed with farms and cottages, and varied by extensive prospects.
Wool Lavington, [39], the seat of John Sargent, Esq. the author of “The Mine,” a poem, which has conferred on him a merited rank among the modern sons of Genius and Taste.
Upon his marriage with the heir of the ancient families of Garton and Orme, he rebuilt their former residence in a style of great accommodation and elegance.
It lies at the foot of an acclivity called Duncton Hill, which, at a very small distance from the house becoming precipitous, is closely matted with low wood, or alternately bare and open, which harmonises with the richly cultivated valley beneath. The view towards the north commands the rising ground terminating with Tillington and Petworth, when it becomes indistinct, and is lost in the weald country of Sussex.
Wooton Court, [9], the seat of Mrs. Bridges, is finely situated on an eminence. The house, crowned with wood, makes a conspicuous figure to the traveller. The grounds are picturesque, and are well varied with hill and valley.
Worrall, —— Esq. [63].
Worting House, [99].
Wray, —— Esq. [220]. (see [Upton House])
Wyndham, —— Esq. [96].