Dyrham Park

Not to be confused with Dyrham Park Country Club, Hertfordshire

Lower part of the park and the house

Dyrham Park is a baroque mansion in an ancient deer park near the village of Dyrham in South Gloucestershire, England. See Manor of Dyrham for the early history of the manor.

Description

Dyrham Park house

The house is set in 274 acres (1.1 km²) of gardens and parkland. The west front of 1692 was commissioned from the Huguenot architect, Samuel Hauduroy, and the east front of 1704 from William Talman, architect of Chatsworth, by William Blathwayt, who was Secretary at War to William III.

Because of Blathwayt’s royal connections, and his influential uncle, Thomas Povey, Dyrham became a showcase of Dutch decorative arts. The collection includes delftware, paintings and furniture. 18th century additions include furniture by Gillow and Linnell. The interiors have remained little altered since decorated by Blathwayt. The Blathwayt family lived at the house until 1956, when the government acquired it. The National Trust acquired it in 1961.

Access

West lawn and St Peter's Church

The house and gardens are open to the public on certain days, and the grounds are open all year long. See the National Trust website on Dyrham Park for details.

A bus takes visitors from the car park down to the house, gardens, tea room and shop. The bus road can be walked down for access to the house or there is an easy walk to the house down grassy slopes. There is no car parking at the house itself.

Dogs are not permitted into the park, but there is an exercise area for dogs near the car park.

Events

Events within the park include music concerts,open-air theatre productions, Easter egg hunts, guided tours of the house, park and garden, and Perry Pear Day.

Associations

Dyrham the Seat of William Blathwait Esq. Engraved by Johannes Kip published 1712 in "The Ancient & Present State of Gloucestershire", by Sir Robert Atkyns(d.1711)

Dyrham Park was one of the houses used as a filming location for the 1993 Merchant Ivory film The Remains of the Day (others included Badminton House and Powderham Castle). An aerial view of Dyrham Park was featured in the opening title sequence of the 2008 film Australia. The house was used for outdoor and garden scenes in the 1999 BBC mini-series Wives and Daughters.

In September 2010, the BBC filmed scenes for the Doctor Who sixth series episode "Night Terrors" at Dyrham Park.

Deer in the park

External links

• Dyrham Park information at the National Trust