History
The History of Stowe House
Stowe House is one of England’s most iconic and architecturally significant buildings and estates. Located in North Buckinghamshire, near the Northamptonshire border, it boasts a rich heritage spanning over three centuries. The story of Stowe and the Temple-Grenville family is one of ambition, politics, and dramatic twists—their rapid rise to fame and fortune in the 18th century was matched only by their spectacular fall in the 19th century.
1571
Peter Temple
Peter Temple (1516-1577), a sheep farmer from Warwickshire, leased the Stowe estate.
1590
John Temple
John Temple (1542-1603) purchases the estate of Stowe, including the hamlets of Dadford, Boycott and Lamport.
1677
New Manor House Built
1677-1683
A new manor house is built at Stowe by Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet. It is designed by William Cleare, who works under Sir Christopher Wren.
1711
House Remodelled
1711-1749
Sir Richard Temple, extensively remodels and extends the House and Gardens. Employing William Kent, Sir John Vanbrugh, and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
1718
Sir Richard Temple
Sir Richard Temple, 4th Baronet is created 1st Viscount Cobham
1749
Earl Temple
1749-1779
Richard Temple-Grenville, Earl Temple (1711-1779) inherits the estate from his uncle. He redesigns the North and South Front of the house and extensively remodels the interior.
1760
Order of the Garter
Earl Temple receives the Order of the Garter
1779
George Grenville
Earl Temple dies before the completion of his building project leaving his nephew George Grenville (1753-1813) to oversee it. George extensively remodels the interior to what we see today.
1784
Marquess of Buckingham
George Grenville is created Marquess of Buckingham.
1813
Richard Temple-Grenville
Richard Temple-Grenville (1776-1839) inherits the estate from his father
1822
Dukedom
Richard Temple- Grenville is created 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos.
1827
Mounting debt
1827-29
The 1st Duke of Buckingham sails around the Mediterranean to avoid his creditors, while also buying up classical treasures to bring back to Stowe.
1828
Anna Eliza
Anna Eliza, Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos, applies for a resettlement bill to go through parliament to protect her estates and inheritance from being used to pay off the Dukes debts. The law was past in May 1828.
1839
2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
The 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos dies passing on the estate to his son Richard, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (1797-1861)
1845
Queen Victoria's Visit
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visits Stowe, staying for three days.
1848
The Great Sale
Due to debts, the equivalent of £100 million in today’s money. A great auction is held by Christie’s to sell off most of the contents of the Stowe estate
1861
3rd Duke
The 2nd Duke dies, destitute in a hotel in London and his son Richard (1823-1889), the 3rd Duke inherits the estate
1861
The Duke returns to Stowe
1861-1889
The 3rd Duke restores the families’ fortunes and refurnishes Stowe.
1889
Lady Kinloss
The 3rd Duke dies passing the estate onto his Daughter Lady Mary Baroness Kinloss (1852-1944)
1889
The Comte De Paris
1889-1894
Stowe is let to the Comte de Paris, claimant to the French throne.
1914
Richard Morgan-Grenville
Richard Morgan-Grenville, Mary’s son and heir to the Stowe estate, is killed in the 1st World War just before Christmas.
1921
Stowe Sold
The family’s finances fail to recover after the war and Stowe is sold to Harry Shaw, a property developer, who intends to present Stowe to the nation.
1922
2nd Great Sale
Shaw lacks the necessary endowment and stripes the house of its original fittings selling the empty estate to Martyrs Memorial Trust – later to become the Allied Schools Group
1923
Stowe School Opens
Stowe School’s first headmaster J.F.Roxburgh, welcomes the first cohorts of 99 boys
1989
The National Trust
Stowe School passes the freehold of the gardens and parkland onto the National Trust.
1997
The Stowe House Preservation Trust
The Stowe House Preservation Trust (SHPT) was founded to maintain, restore and to open the house up to the public. A 25-year project is put underway to restore the house to its 18th century glory.
Stowe House
Stowe House boasts a rich heritage spanning over three centuries. The house and estate played a pivotal role in British architectural and landscape design, whilst the Temple-Grenville family, were deeply intertwined with Britain’s cultural, social, and political evolution throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
Early Beginnings
Stowe has a history spanning nearly 1,000 years, with references to the area appearing in the Domesday Book. From 1330, Osney Abbey managed a manor house in Stowe, holding the estate until 1539, when it was forced to surrender its lands to the Crown during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The estate then passed to the Gifford family, who, in 1571, leased it to Peter Temple, a successful sheep farmer from Oxfordshire. Peter’s son, John, purchased the estate in 1589.
In 1603, Thomas Temple inherited Stowe. That same year, he purchased a knighthood, followed by a baronetcy in 1611. A lawyer and Justice of the Peace, Thomas faced financial difficulties due to the economic depression of the 1620s and the burden of providing for his many children—nine of whom were daughters. In 1630, amidst mounting debts, he transferred Stowe to his son Peter, following a legal dispute over land sales that had breached a prior agreement.
Peter Temple purchased a knighthood in 1609 and later established a deer park to the northeast of the house. His son, Richard, succeeded as the third baronet in 1653. His marriage to Mary Knapp, who brought a dowry of £4,000, enabled him to commission a new mansion at Stowe, designed by William Cleere.
It was in 1697, under the ownership of Sir Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham, that Stowe began its transformation into the grand estate seen today. His ambition to create a landscape of monumental scale and beauty set Stowe on a path that would later secure its place in British history.
The Golden Age of Stowe (18th Century)
In the 18th century, Stowe House became the seat of the Temple family’s wealth and political influence. Under the guidance of Sir Richard Temple’s descendants, the estate flourished both architecturally and aesthetically. The famous architect James Gibbs and renowned landscape designer Capability Brown were commissioned to enhance the grounds, making Stowe one of the finest examples of the English landscape garden movement.
The gardens and parkland were transformed into a series of grand vistas, reflecting classical ideals of symmetry, order, and beauty. The estate’s design incorporated temples, statues, and follies, each carefully positioned to evoke mythological and historical themes. The Temple family’s vision of Stowe House as a place of both artistic achievement and political power continued to thrive.
The Fall and Decline
Overspending by the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos in the 1830s, followed by his son’s lavish lifestyle, led to financial ruin. A costly visit from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1845 sealed their fate, culminating in the infamous sale of land and house content in 1848.
Despite efforts by the 3rd Duke to recover, the estate was ultimately sold in 1921 and Stowe School was created in1923, preventing the house from becoming another casualty of the inter-war austerity.
Stowe School
Stowe School opened in May 1923 with 99 boys. Clough Williams-Ellis was appointed as the architect to adapt the main house and design new buildings for classrooms and dormitories.
The first headmaster, J. F. Roxburgh, aimed to create a new kind of public school that nurtured the individual talents of each pupil.
“Every boy who goes out from Stowe will know beauty when he sees it for the rest of his life.” – J. F. Roxburgh
Throughout the 20th century, Stowe gained a reputation for its progressive approach to education, encouraging individuality and creativity alongside traditional academic disciplines. The school became co-educational in 2003.
Today, Stowe School remains one of the UK’s leading independent schools, known for its stunning setting, academic excellence, and emphasis on holistic education. It continues to uphold its founding ethos while evolving to meet the challenges of modern day.
Stowe House Preservation Trust
Stowe School has been an exceptional guardian of Stowe House. However, as the 20th century progressed, the costs of restoring the buildings and gardens exceeded its budget. To provide a long-term solution, three charities came together: Stowe School Foundation, the National Trust, and the Stowe House Preservation Trust.
Together, this partnership has overseen a £100 million restoration of the house and gardens, all while accommodating the busy daily life of over 900 pupils. Today, Stowe is as vibrant and full of life as it was in its Georgian heyday.
The History of Our Cause
Stowe House has seen 300 years of change—from a famed tourist attraction to the rise and fall of its owners. Today, ongoing restoration is bringing its rich history back to life.
Restoration