Introduction
Stowe in Buckinghamshire is renowned for its beautiful landscape and for its school, which has since 1923 been the saviour and guardian of the magnificent eighteenth-century mansion at the heart of the site.
Today, Stowe House is in need of immediate help to stop time and weather from accelerating its decay, a situation which has gathered a unique collation of partners committed to regaining the original quality of the house. World Monuments Fund has joined a private donor in a £10 million challenge to secure the future of Stowe House.
But why should we care about supporting Stowe House amongst an array of fine great houses that need support? Essentially, because it is the centrepiece of one of the most beautiful and complex historic environments in Britain, and our work, in tandem with a range of committed partners, will make the house available to everyone to enjoy, realizing a major, imaginative and shared cultural resource at the heart of England.
Image gallery
Visit the Stowe image gallery to view photos of the site.
I was a [pupil] in the early 40s and I feel sure that the beauty of Stowe had an effect we were hardly aware of at the time, but nevertheless has been a profound influence ever since. This is why I was keen to help…
Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, a major donor to the overall restoration
Location
Lat: 52.03099, Lon: -1.01858
Links
Restoration Drama article from the Telegraph
To find out more about visiting Stowe House go to www.stowe.co.uk
Facts
Location: Near Buckingham, Buckinghamshire (20 miles north-east of Oxford)
Project dates: December 2004 – to present
WMF Britain project cost: Currently fundraising for an additional £400,000 to reach a £10m target.
Watch List: Stowe House was on WMF’s Watch List in 2002 and 2004
Key Funders: The Robert W. Wilson Challenge to Conserve Our Heritage, Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, anonymous donor, The Paul Mellon Estate and others.
Stowe House through Corinthian Arch
Project partners and conservators
Owned by Stowe House Preservation Trust
Project Managers – Malcolm Reading & Associates
Architect – Jane Kennedy, Purcell Miller Tritton Architects LLP
Quantity Surveyor – Bare, Leaning and Bare
Structural Engineer – Edward Morton, The Morton Partnership
Principal Contractor – Linford-Bridgeman Ltd
Specialist Contractors - Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd, Hirst Conservation and The Scagliola Company
