Buscot Park

I haven't got much to witter on about, so thought today I'd post some pictures I recently took at Buscot. Buscot Park is a National Trust Property (with impressive grounds) between Faringdon and Lechlade on the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire border. (I love how it says on the National Trust website that you can get there by bus - "alight at Lechlade" they advise, which only leaves a 3¼ mile walk to get to the place. Since the grounds are so huge, you'd be too knackered after the walk from the bus stop, to walk round the place!)

Anyway, I hadn't been there since I was a child, (when my dad played cricket there) and had been wanting to go for quite a while. My lovely forum/blog/facebook/flickr friend Lily-Wren was going to be coming down for a weekend, and we thought we might head over to Buscot for the photo opportunities. Sadly, due to a family situation, Lily couldn't come, but Mum said she'd like to go, so we pootled off anyway.

The place has an interesting history. It was built between 1780 and 1783 for a chap named Edward Loveden Townsend, apparently to his own design. That family have been associated with Buscot since 1557 when a William Loveden purchased it. He was, by all accounts, an extremely wealthy man, and having visited the place, I can quite believe it. The property and land remained in the family until 1860 when it was sold to an Australian tycoon by the name of Robert Tertius Campbell.

According to information I've found online, the estate (of 4,000 acres) was in some disrepair by the time 'Squire Campbell' bought it, but he employed one hundred men to help build a reservoir, delivering a state of the art irrigation system to the pastures, which would turn it into a hugely efficient farm. He had the - at the time, outrageous - idea to grow sugar beet, which would in turn be distilled to make spirit alcohol. He had a working distillery built at the estate (on a small island next to the lock - still called 'Brandy Island'). The distillery closed in 1879, after the french men he employed to run it were called back to France to fight in the Franco-Prussian War, and the englishmen who took over didn't really know what they were doing. Mr Campbell also built a mill, a turbine, a gas works, and had a little railway; he was known for his fondness for state of the art machinery. He died (bankrupt) in 1885, and two years after his death the estate was sold to Sir Alexander Henderson.

Alexander Henderson was born in September 1850, and appears to have been a very successful businessman. First he worked for a firm of accountants who did the accounts for the Great Western Railway. After that he worked for some stock brokers, becoming a member of the stock exchange at only 22. He and his brothers developed business interests in the railways of South America, and did very well out of it too. He is reported to have purchased Buscot Park for £80,000 and kept his extensive art collections and books there. It is still known today for the impressive works of art at Buscot House.

Alexander Henderson was later to become the first Lord Faringdon - the title still held by the present incumbent of Buscot Park. He was Chairman of the Great Central Railway from 1889 to 1922, and died 12 years after retiring from that position. He passed on Buscot Park (and his title) to his heir, his grandson Gavin Henderson (born in 1902). He was educated at Eton, then Oxford, and one of the 'Bright Young Things' depicted in novels by Aldous Huxley and Evelyn Waugh. Unusually, for someone in his position, he became a member of the Labour Party (and later the Fabian Society). He was a staunch pacifist, so during the Second World War, gave his energies to the Fire Service. After the war he became a Labour County Councillor in London, and after that served on the Historic Buildings committee of the Greater London Council once it was formed. He died in 1977.

Buscot Park was then inherited by his nephew, the third (and present) Lord Faringdon - Charles Michael Henderson. Charles Henderson was born in the summer of 1937, and educated at Eton and later Cambridge. His father died when he was only 16, and his mother chose to live abroad, so he spent school and University holidays with his Uncle at Buscot Park. He writes of that time on the Buscot Park website. Always having a keen interest in the Arts, he was Treasurer to the National Arts Collection Fund for 7 years, and has been involved with organisations relating to National Heritage ever since.

The present Lord Faringdon's heir is James Harold Henderson (born in 1961), who is already involved in the decisions relating to the running of Buscot Park.

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit there, it is a very photogenic place. The walled gardens are particularly beautiful, as is the water garden. I don't think I have ever seen quite as many statues in one place as I did there - many of them are copies of very famous statues from around the world.

Not only are the grounds wonderful, but the art housed in Buscot House is also impressive. I was relieved of both my camera and my handbag on entering the House. The lady behind the (antique) desk at the door affixed a ticket to both of them, and handed me the 'other half' so I could reclaim them after I'd had a look round. She let my mum keep her handbag as it was deemed small enough to be 'ok'. I gather from talking to friends afterwards, that many National Trust properties do this nowadays, after several have had small art pieces stolen from the Houses. There seemed to be 'official' looking people in every single room - both to answer questions, but also to keep an eye on the valuables, I guess?

It was a lovely day out, and I'm pretty sure I'll be going back there one day. I recommend it if you find yourself anywhere nearby at any point.

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