Knebworth House
Knebworth House is a country house in the civil parish of Knebworth in Hertfordshire, England.
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[edit] History and description
The home of the Lytton family since 1490, when Thomas Bourchier sold the reversion of the manor to Sir Robert Lytton, Knebworth House was originally a genuine red-brick Late Gothic manor house, built round a central court as an open square. In 1813-16 the house was reduced to its west wing,[1] which was remodelled in a Tudor Gothic style by John Biagio Rebecca for Mrs Bulwer-Lytton,[2] and then was transformed in 1843-45 by Henry Edward Kendall, Jr. into the present Tudor Gothic structure.[3] Its most famous resident was Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the Victorian author, dramatist and statesman, who embellished the gardens in a formal Italianate fashion. Much of the interior was redesigned by Sir Edwin Lutyens, who simplified the main parterre. A herb garden in an interlaced quincunx design was drawn by Gertrude Jekyll in 1907 but not planted until 1982.
[edit] The house today
The current residents are Henry Lytton-Cobbold and his family.
The house is open to the public together with its surrounding gardens and grounds. The grounds include an adventure playground, mini railway and dinosaur park and host various events including classic car rallies, the annual Salvo Fair of architectural salvage and, since 1974, major open air rock and pop concerts.[4]
It is currently the home of the UK leg of the touring rock festival Sonisphere, which in July 2009 occurred for the first time at Knebworth.
[edit] Radio and cinema
Local radio station 106 Jack FM Hertfordshire broadcasts from the old pump house, which provided water for the house. Allegedly a deep well is buried beneath site of the breakfast show presenter's swivel chair.[citation needed]
Numerous films have been shot at Knebworth, including:
- The Big Sleep (1978) - General Sternwood's country mansion
- The Great Muppet Caper (1980) - exterior of the Mallory Gallery
- Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980) - interior and exterior
- The Shooting Party (1985) - filmed entirely on location
- Porterhouse Blue (1987) - exterior of the home of Sir Cathcart D'Eath
- The Lair of the White Worm (1988) - exterior of the D'Ampton mansion
- Batman (1989) - exterior scenes of Bruce Wayne's manor
- The Canterville Ghost (1995 film)
- Sacred Flesh (1999) - exterior scenes of the convent
- Agent Cody Banks 2 - some scenes in and around the grounds
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Yule Ball Staircase Scene
- Jonathan Creek - provided the location of Metropolis in the 2008 Christmas Special.
- Haunted Honeymoon (1986) - exterior of the home
- The King's Speech (2010) - Balmoral Party and other scenes
[edit] Notes
- ^ 'Parishes: Knebworth', A History of the County of Hertford: volume 3 (1912), pp. 111-18. Date accessed: 27 August 2007].
- ^ Colvin, Howard (1995) A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 3rd ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, s.v. "John Biagio Rebecca".
- ^ Colvin, Howard (1995) A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 3rd ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, s.v. "Henry Edward Kendall", note.
- ^ Knebworth: The Stately Home of Rock Retrieved 19 February 2011
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