Monument record 8054/1 - Stoke Park House

Country house constructed between 1629 and 1635 possibly by Inigo Jones. The principal south front of the house was three storeys above a basement. The two principal storeys were defined by a giant Ionic order supporting an entablature. Alterations were carried out after 1786 to deisgns by Levison Vernon. The house was destroyed by a fire in 1886. After the fire, a new house in an ornate Jacobean style was built of ironstone, attached to the east pavilion. The Victorian house was removed in the second half of the 20th century and the pavilions restored; the east pavilion being converted into a house. All buildings are listed.

{2} The manor of Stoke Bruerne was acquired by Henry VIII in 1541 and formed part of the Honour of Grafton, created in 1541. In 1627 it was among properties granted by Charles I to Sir Francis Crane, courtier and head of the Mortlake Tapestry Works, who c 1630 began to build a new house in the medieval deer park. The king was entertained here in 1635. After Crane’s death in 1636 the estate passed to his brother Sir Richard (d 1645) and then to the descendants of his sister Edith Arundell. Few alterations were made until Levison Vernon remodelled the house shortly after he inherited it from his cousin Elizabeth Arundell in 1786. Stoke Bruerne Park was retained by the Vernon family until 1928.

The site chosen by Francis Crane for his new house, begun c 1630, was previously occupied by a medieval hunting lodge. The main house, converted from this, was linked by colonnaded quadrant walks to Blisworth sandstone ashlar pavilions, embracing a terrace approach from the park with a central flight of steps. The house was altered in the late C18 and the main block destroyed by fire in 1886. In 1891 a new house was built against the north-east corner of the east pavilion; this was demolished c 1954. Both pavilions are listed grade II*. The east pavilion originally contained a chapel, the west one a library. The house is important as the first country house in England constructed on the Palladian plan, and although proof is lacking, the design was attributed to Inigo Jones (1573 1652) by the early C18. When John Bridges visited Stoke Park in 1721 he wrote ‘The House … was built by Inigo Jones with a body & 2 wings joind by Corriders or Galleries as may be seen by ye S view of it to ye gardens taken by Tillemans. The Pillars are red of a different Colour from ye House’ (Brown and Foard 1994, 98).

{6} Stoke Park House was built by Sir Francis Crane, from a design from Haly, received assistance in its execution by Indigo Jones. Begun in 1630, finished by 1636. Engraving in Campbell's Virtruvius Britannius.

{7} Seat of Francis Arundell Esq. House "bodie and 2 wings jioned by corridors or galleries". Sir Francis Crane.

{8} There are no remains of Stoke Park house, the present building standing on the site is 19th century. The pavilions are outstanding (see photograph) and open to the public.

<1> Way T., 2009, Garden Gnomes: A History, p.24 (unchecked) (Series). SNN106617.

<2> English Heritage, 1991, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1991, Northamptonshire), (checked) (Report). SNN1167.

<3> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN41757.

<4> Stoke Park, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Leaflet). SNN108804.

<5> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 592-4 (Book). SNN111989.

<6> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire (Book). SNN10400.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire (Book). SNN100366.

<8> Colquhoun, FD, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments (Notes). SNN111540.

<9> Historic England, Undated, STOKE PARK, STOKE BRUERNE, BF061894 (Archive). SNN116083.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:16PM