ASHTON COURT

'Ashton Court'

Shown within Bristol (above) and England.

'Ashton Court' () is a mansion house and estate to the west of Bristol in England. Although the estate lies mainly in North Somerset, it is owned by the City of Bristol. The estate is a venue for a variety of leisure activities, including the Ashton Court festival and the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Contents

Architecture

The estate

Image Gallery

References

External links

Architecture

The core of the house was built in the 15th century, but it was enlarged and adapted over the centuries by the Smyth family, who bought the estate in 1545. The south facade and Inigo Jones wing date from about 1633^[1] and was extended eastwards in the 19th century. The house became derelict after the last of the Smyths died in 1946; it was taken over by the City in 1959, and restoration has been an ongoing process since then. The facilities of the house are now rented out for business conferences, parties and weddings.
The mansion house and stables have been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.^[2]
The lower lodge to Ashton Court and attached gates, railings and bollards, which were built in 1805 by Henry Wood, are a grade II
★ listed building.^[3] The garden and perimeter walls and railings are also listed.^[4], ^[5], ^[5], ^[7], ^[8]

The estate

The estate covers 850 acres (3.4 km²) of woods and open grassland laid out by Humphrey Repton. It includes two pitch-and-putt golf courses, an orienteering course and horse riding and mountain bike trails.^[9] There is a deer park which was started in the 14th century and extended in the 16th and 17th centuries The park contains a great variety of wildlife; much of the site (an area of 210.31 hectares) was notified in 1998 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the presence of rare woodland beetles.^[10]

Image Gallery

References

1. Bristol, , THB, Burrough, Studio Vista, 1970,
2. Ashton Court Mansion and Stables
3. Lower Lodge to Ashton Court and attached gates, railings and bollards
4. Former perimeter wall of Ashton Court estate
5. Garden Wall extending to south- east from east corner of Ashton
6. Garden Wall extending to south- east from east corner of Ashton
7. Garden Wall extending to south- east from south corner of Ashton
8. Two sets of Railings, Gates and Gatepiers at south end of Ashton
9. Ashton Court Estate
10. Ashton Court

External links

★ Photos and information on Ashton Court estate