Bowood House from Morris's County Seats (1880). The block on the right is the "Big House", which has been demolished. The wing on the left, starting with the short tower, remains.

Bowood is a Georgian country house set in superb grounds fashioned by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. It is located halfway between Calne and Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. Bowood House from Morriss County Seats (1880). ... Bowood House from Morriss County Seats (1880). ... In Britain (and also in Ireland) the term country house generally refers to a large house which was built on an agricultural estate as the private residence of the landowner. ... Lancelot Brown (1716 - 6 February 1783), more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape gardener, now remembered as the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due, and Englands greatest gardener. He designed over 200 parks, many of which still endure. ... Calne is a town in Wiltshire, England. ... Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ...

The first house at Bowood was built circa 1725 on the site of a hunting lodge. The house and park were bought in 1754 by the first Earl of Shelburne, who employed architect Henry Keene to extend the house. The 2nd Earl, Prime Minister from 1782 to 1783, was created Marquess of Lansdowne for negotiating peace with America after the War of Independence. He furnished Bowood and his London home, Lansdowne House, with superb collections of paintings and classical sculpture, and commissioned Robert Adam to decorate the grander rooms in Bowood and to add a magnificent orangery, as well as a small menagerie for wild animals where a leopard and an orangutan were kept in the 18th century. Adam also built a fine mausoleum for the 1st Earl in the park. The title of Marquess of Lansdowne was created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1784 for William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, the former Prime Minister. ... A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of... The title of Marquess of Lansdowne was created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1784 for William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, the former Prime Minister. ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen British colonies in North America. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London and the Regions of England London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7,421,328 and a metropolitan population of between 12 and 14 million. ... Lansdowne House is a house in Berkeley Square, London. ... Kedleston Hall. ...

In the 1770s the two parts of the house at Bowood (the 'Big House' and the 'Little House') were joined together by the construction of an enormous drawing room. During World War II, the Big House was first occupied by a school, then by the Royal Air Force. Afterwards it was left empty, and by 1955 it was so dilapidated that the 8th Marquess demolished it, employing architect F. Sortain Samuels to convert the Little House into a more comfortable home. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Bowood is one of 'Capability' Brown's finest parks. Laid out over 2,000 acres (8 km²) in the 1760s, it replaced an earlier, more formal garden of avenues and wildernesses. Brown's design encompasses a sinuous lake, with lawns sloping gently down from the house, and drifts of mature trees. Brown planted an arboretum of rare trees in the Pleasure Grounds behind the walled garden, and these were added to in the mid-19th century when a pinetum was begun. It was at about this time that the Doric Temple, originally standing in the Pleasure Grounds, was moved to its present position beside the lake.

The great Italianate terraces on the south front of the house were commissioned by the 3rd Marquess. The Upper Terrace, by Sir Robert Smirke, was completed in 1818, and the Lower, by George Kennedy, was added in 1851. Originally planted with hundreds of thousands of annuals in intricate designs, the parterres are now more simply planted.

Bowood House is the stately home of the Lansdowne family and has been the residence of: A stately home is, strictly speaking, one of about 500 large properties built in England between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property (after the Dissolution of the Monasteries). ...

• Sir William Petty, (1622–1687)
• Thomas Viscount Clanmaurice, 1st Earl of Kerry (1668–1741)
• John, 1st Earl of Shelburne (1705–1761)
• William Petty Fitzmaurice, 2nd Earl of Shelburn & 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, (1737–1803)
• John Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 2nd Marquess of Lansdowne (1765–1809)
• Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne, (1780–1863)
• Henry Charles Petty Fitzmaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne (1816–1866)
• Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, (1845–1927)
• Henry William Edmund Petty Fitzmaurice, 6th Marquess of Lansdowne (1872–1936)
• Charles Hope Petty Fitzmaurice, 7th Marquess of Lansdowne (1917–1944)
• George John Charles Petty Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne (1912–1999)
• Charles Petty-FitzMaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne (b. 1941)
• Simon Henry George Petty Fitzmaurice, Earl of Shelburne (b. 1970)

The gardens were formed by Capability Brown, who extended a pond into a large lake. He also created a grotto with waterfalls and artificial caves, as well as the facade of a Doric temple. William Petty Sir William Petty (May 27, 1623-December 16, 1687) was a scientist and philosopher. ... William Petty Fitzmaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (2 May 1737–7 May 1805), also known as the Earl of Shelburne (1761–1784), was a British statesman. ... Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), Son of the 1st Marquess by his second marriage, was born on 2 July 1780 and educated at Edinburgh University and at Trinity College, Cambridge. ... Henry Charles Keith Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE (14 January 1845 - 3 June 1927) was a British politician and Irish peer who served as Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... Charles Maurice Petty-FitzMaurice, 9th Marquess of Lansdowne (born February 21, 1941) is a British peer, the son of George Petty-FitzMaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne and Barbara Chase. ... Lancelot Brown (1716 – 6 February 1783), more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape gardener. ... The uncompleted Doric temple at Segesta, Sicily, has been waiting for finishing of its surfaces since 430 - 420 BC The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of Ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. ...

The 'big house' was demolished in 1955 for economic reasons. However, the remaining house is still large, and the front 'wing' is open to the public with rooms, paintings and scultpure on display. One of the rooms was the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, who discovered oxygen there on August 1, 1774. Joseph Priestley is often credited for the discovery of oxygen. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1774 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

It is said that Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles used to meet in Bowood regularly during their 30 year affair Prince Charles may refer to: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, current heir-apparent to the British throne Any of the previous British royals named Charles, Prince of Wales The former Belgian regent, Prince Charles of Belgium This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... Camilla Parker Bowles (born July 17 1947) was mistress, now girlfriend, of Charles, Prince of Wales. ...

Also on the grounds is an adventure playground for children aged 12 and under.

External links

• Bowood House website