Houghton Hall - West Front
This is Houghton Hall from the West Front.
Houghton Hall was the home of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.
Houghton was built between 1722 and 1735.
Views of Houghton Hall fron the West Front.
It is Grade I listed.
Houghton Hall - Heritage Gateway
Country House. 1722-1735 for Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of
Great Britain (1717-1742), in rivalry with his brother-in-law's Raynham.
Reputed to have been built largely from public funds, a "house of State and
Convenience" (Colen Campbell) for the "Houghton meeting" house-parties and
for Walpole's picture collection here 1742-1779. Design, published by Colen
Campbell in Vitruvius Britannicus III (1725), under discussion 1721, executed
by Walpole's protege in the King's Works, Thomas Ripley, modified by James
Gibbs, decorated by William Kent. Palladian with some Baroque references. Fine
Whitby stone ashlar, pantiled roofs. 3 storey 9 by 5 bay centre with 4 advanced
angle towers, single storey colonnaded wings, quadrant to west, dog-leg to
east. 2 storey 7 by 7 bay service wings with courtyards beyond. East front
has rusticated basement with plinth and first floor platband.
The West Steps were rebuilt in 1973 by Lady Sybil Cholmondeley as a memorial to her husband.