WOTTON HOUSE, 



AYLESBURY. 



TIII^ interesting house ami beautiful garden 

 arc in the county of Buckingham, about 

 halfway between Aylcsbury ami the Oxford- 

 shire border. Hearne, who journeyed 

 through Wotton in 1716, just after the house had 

 been completed, re-n irked that it was badly situated, 

 "but as well as could be in such a place." This 

 grudging praise would seem, in these times, rank 

 injustice when applied to so pleasing a location. 

 There is nothing imposing or grand in the character 

 of the surroundings, it is true ; but those who know 

 the pastoral delights and the woodland beauties of the 

 neighbourhood of Aylesbury will understand what 

 arc the charms of a great demesne that has been 

 valued and improved by many possessors, dis- 

 tinguished for learning, judgment and go ul taste. 



The place belonged anciently to that great land- 

 owner Walter Clifford, but in early times came to the 

 important family of (Jrenville, which hail a se.it here, 

 in the parish of Wot ton -Underwood, in med- 

 times. As sheriffs and knights of the shire the 

 CJrcnvilles were important men, and grew 







succeeding centuries to greater ions-- juence among 

 their neighbour-.. The new and classic house at 

 Wotton was begun in 1704, and completed ten years 

 later, by Richard drenvillc, Ksij., Sheriff of Buiks in 

 I')- i, who married the heiress of Sir Richard Temple 

 ot Stowe, a lady who afterwards bee i me co-heiress of 

 her brother Richard, Viscount Cohham, and simcede i 

 him as Viscountess Cohham in September, I ~4<i, 

 being created Countess Temple in the following 

 month. Her son, Richard (irenville, Ix>rd Temple, 

 w.is the well-known politician, sneered at by Wai pole 

 and gibbeted by Macaulay who says it was his 

 nature to grub underground, and "whenever a heap 

 of dirt was flung up, it might well be suspected that 

 he was at work in some foul, crooked labyrinth 

 below " but who, nevertheless, was generous, liberal, 

 and dear to many friends. } le was also a man of 

 sonic taste and judgment in matters of art, an 1 his 

 interest in Wotton added much to the attractions of 

 the house. 



The new edifice stood on a site a little higher than 

 its early predecessor, and somewhat to the north-west. 



/-.is/ /VOV7. 



