Waddesdon Manor

Aerial view of Waddesdon from the north

The Red Drawing Room

In 1874, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild bought the Waddesdon agricultural estate from the Duke of Marlborough with money inherited from his father Anselm. Rothschild was familiar with the estate from fox hunting in the locality. At the time of purchase, the estate had no house, park or garden. The site of the future Manor House was a bare hill. Known as Lodge Hill, it had been stripped of its timber by the impoverished Duke of Marlborough prior to the sale.[4] Over the following three years, the summit of the hill was levelled; eventually, on 18 August 1877, the foundation stone was laid.

The first house party was held in May 1880 with seven of Rothschild's close male friends enjoying a fireworks display. When, finally, the main house was ready in 1883, Rothschild invited 20 guests to stay. Before his premature death in 1898, on weekends between May and September Rothschild was host to many important guests including the future king Edward VII. House parties usually involved 14 to 20 guests.[5]

Guests commented on the level of luxury service provided by the 24 house staff.[6] In 1890, Queen Victoria unusually requested to pay a visit. She was impressed with the beauty of the house and grounds as well as Rothschild's ability to quietly manage the day's events. She was struck by the newly installed electric lights designed to look like candles in the chandeliers, and it is reported that she asked for the room to be darkened to fully witness the effect.[7]

Plan of Waddesdon's ground floor. 1:Vestibule; 2:Entrance Hall, 3 Red Drawing room; 4:Grey Drawing Room; 5:Library; 6:Baron's Sitting room; 7:Morning Room; 8:West Hall; 9:West Gallery; 10:East Gallery; 11:Dining Room; 12:Conservatory; 13:Breakfast Room; 14:Kitchen; 15:Servant's Hall; 16:Housekeeper's Rooms; 17:Site of further servants quarters (not illustrated); 18:Terrace and parterre; 19 North Drive; St:staircases.

When Baron Ferdinand died in 1898, the house passed to his sister Alice de Rothschild. She saw Waddesdon as a memorial for her brother and was committed to preserving it. She did add significant items to the collection, particularly furniture and carpets with French royal provenances, Meissen porcelain, textiles and armor.[8]

Front entrance

Following Alice de Rothschild's death in 1922, the property and collections passed to her French great-nephew James A. "Jimmy" de Rothschild, who was married to an English woman, Dorothy Pinto. James further enriched the Manor with objects from the collections of his late father Baron Edmond James de Rothschild of Paris.[9]

James and Dorothy hosted a Liberal Party rally at Waddesdon in 1928, where David Lloyd George addressed the crowd.[10] During World War II, children under the age of five were evacuated from Croydon and lived at Waddesdon Manor, the only time children lived in the house. James and Dorothy also provided asylum for a group of Jewish boys from Frankfurt at Waddesdon.[11]

When James de Rothschild died in 1957, he bequeathed Waddesdon Manor, 120 acres (49 ha) of grounds and its contents to the National Trust, to be preserved for posterity. Dorothy moved to nearby Eythrope and the Manor was never again used as a residence. It opened to the public in 1959, with around 27,000 visitors in the first year.[12] Dorothy chaired the new management committee in close collaboration with the National Trust and took a very keen interest in Waddesdon for the remainder of her long life.[13]

Dutch and English paintings in the Morning Room

At Dorothy's death, in 1989, her nephew Jacob Rothschild inherited her position and responsibilities. At his initiative, the Manor underwent a major restoration from 1990 to 1997, and the visitor attractions were enhanced, including the creation of the Waddesdon Wine Cellars.

Jacob Rothschild chairs the family charity handling Waddesdon's management, the Rothschild Foundation.[14] Waddesdon Manor operates as an independent organisation within the National Trust.

From 2004 to 2006, the Baron's Room and Green Boudoir were restored to reflect Baron Ferdinand's original arrangements.[15] In 2003 a burglary was committed involving the Johnson Gang, when approximately 100 gold snuff boxes and other items were stolen from the collection prompting the installation of new security measures.[16] In 2021 one small sweet-box from this theft was identified at auction and returned to Waddesdon.[17]

Since 2004, there has been an exhibitions programme. Notable exhibitions include the Lod Mosaic in 2014.[18] Waddesdon was one venue celebrating the work of Henry Moore in 2015[19] and Eliot Hodgkin in 2019.[20]

New works of art have been acquired by the Rothschild Foundation to complement the existing collections at Waddesdon, such as Le Faiseur de Châteaux de Cartes by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, added in 2007.

There has also been a programme of engagement with contemporary artists, beginning with Angus Fairhurst represented by Arnolfini in 2009. Works have been sited near the Manor and on the wider estate including by Richard Long, Sarah Lucas.[21] In 2012, Christie's chose the Manor to exhibit sculptures by leading contemporary artists.[22]

Between 2013 and 2017, Bruce Munro had a residency at Waddesdon Manor, beginning with the musical and light piece Cantus Arcticus in the Coach House Gallery in 2013. Winter Light (2013), with its distinctive wigwam type structures sited in the gardens of the Manor, was Munro's first solo exhibition of his large-scale pieces; Winter Light returned in 2016–2017. In 2014, Munro developed his pod-like structures, adding elements of language in Snow Code, shown in the Manor. In ...---...SOS, Munro's winter exhibition of 2015–2016, tents were lit up in tune with sound, in response to images of disaster relief.[23]

Flora by Jan Baptist Xavery, bedroom corridor

In 2012, Edmund de Waal exhibited work in the Manor, creating a dialogue between his work and the historical interiors.[24] In 2015, artist Joana Vasconcelos was commissioned to install two sculptures entitled Lafite in front of the Manor.[25] In 2016, Kate Malone exhibited a collection of new work inspired by the people, gardens, collections, and archive.[26] Two portrait pots of Baron Ferdinand and Alice de Rothschild by Malone remain on display at the Manor.[27]

Wine Cellars

The Wine Cellars in the Manor were created during the Centenary Restoration and opened in 1994. They are modelled on the private cellars at Château Lafite Rothschild. More than 15,000 bottles are stored in the Cellars, some 150 years old, the majority from the Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild estates. It is the largest private collection of Rothschild wines in the world. There are also wine labels designed by artists such as Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol.[34]

Though the trees are not of a great age there are many specimens of deciduous and coniferous trees that have now reached maturity creating the desired effect in the Waddesdon landscape. Some of these trees were planted in the 1870s and responsibility for this fell to William Barron whose job it was to transplant trees from the surrounding countryside to give the grounds of Waddesdon a sense of maturity, creating vistas and focal points under the instructions from Elie Lainé.[48]

Deciduous trees were selected on their form, flowering and array of autumnal colour. Conifers were selected for their evergreen nature, cones and berries. Today many species such as chestnuts, limes and maples as well as yew, cedars and redwoods can be seen.

From Baron Ferdinand's time to today, distinguished visitors have been invited to plant memorial trees. Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V and Queen Mary were early royal visitors.[49] More recently, The Prince of Wales and Prime Ministers Sir John Major and Tony Blair have also planted trees.

Baron Ferdinand acquired many fine statues and fountains to add interest to the gardens. A notable feature is his love of 18th-century Italian pieces. The fountains to the north and south of the house include sculptures of Pluto, Proserpina, tritons and nereids originally made by Giuliano Mozani around 1720 for the Ducal Palace of Colorno.[50] A bust of the muse Erato has been recently attributed to Filippo Parodi.[51]

A fine example of French early 18th-century sculpture is sited near the Aviary: Apollo by Jean Raon, 1699, associated with a commission at Versailles. There are also Dutch vases in the style of Albert Jansz Vinckenbrinck and sculptures by Jan van Logteren, the latter were originally displayed at Aston Clinton House.[52]

In 2001, Stephen Cox's tomb-like sculpture Interior Space: Terra degli Etruschi was installed at the end of the Baron's Walk. Inscribed on a nearby marble slab are the names of the Rothschilds who built and have cared for Waddesdon.

Baron Ferdinand also created a cast-iron aviary, inspired by 18th-century pavilions at the Palace of Versailles and Château de Chantilly, as well as his childhood home at Grüneburg. It was completed in 1889. Like other members of his family, such as Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, Ferdinand was also keen animal lover. He stocked the aviary with exotic birds and enjoyed feeding them for his guests.[53]

Waddesdon Manor aviary

The aviary's paint and gilding were restored in 2003 and it now houses endangered species with a focus on breeding programs. It is a registered zoo.[54]