Jacques Rigaud: (Drawing a picture) Can you see what it is yet? I’ve got the new house, dead centre. Lovely columns, pediment, Palladian front, dome worthy of the Eternal City itself, very nice. I’m putting in the old house to the side, the right-hand side there. I’m making it smaller than the new house, which it isn’t, but that’s a little bit of artistic license on my part – Lord Burlington wants a drawing of his new house, not his old one, so keep the old one in the background… I’m putting in lots of people. A couple on the left, down at the front, under the trees. There’s some sort of assignation going on there. Leave it to you to guess what’s going on. What shall I do on the other side? Put in a cow… Hmm… To be honest I’m happier drawing buildings than cows. Sometimes my cows turn out like horses, sometimes like large dogs. Tell you what, I’m going to put myself in, standing under a tree, looking at the cow and wondering how to draw him properly. Now, I’m putting three chaps leaning on the gate looking at the new house, and one of them’s […]

Chiswick House & Gardens

1. Mind the Carriage!

NARRATOR: Lord Burlington designed the villa we know as Chiswick House in about 1725. It’s one of the most important examples of Palladian architecture in the country, a style named after the work of 16th-century Italian architect Andreas Palladio. Palladio was inspired by the classical buildings of ancient Rome and he tried to recreate the formality and proportions of those buildings in his designs. The Palladian style was later adopted in England by the celebrated architect Inigo Jones – which explains why so many older English buildings look like Roman temples. Lord Burlington, also known as the ‘Architect Earl’, was inspired to design his own building in the Palladian tradition here at Chiswick. The house was intended as both an architectural exercise and a residence – although most of its owners never lived inside. During the 18th century, it was fashionable for the wealthy to build retirement and holiday retreats on the banks of the Thames. Today’s house is the lone survivor of these retreats: it originally served as an annexe to an early 17th century manor house, but this was later demolished. Like the House’s Classical style, the gardens were also inspired by ancient Rome. Burlington wanted to create […]

101. About Chiswick House

NARRATOR: ‘The Shadow’ by Michelle Penn, a London-based poet and fiction writer. SHADOW: (Tone: humorous jealousy) I am only her follower, her echo, barely noticeable. She flits and she flirts with the bird in her hand and she sings, she sings, tra-la-la-waltzing her way across a patch of grass, her stage, lit just for her by a gracious sun. I do my best, follow and keep up, but she’s more graceful, more subtle than I — a mere shadow. She has even dressed for the occasion, outdone me once again, her snappy white dress and hat match the house perfectly. They even match the clouds, those perfect painter’s puffs. Or no. Of course. They dressed to look like her. (Humorous, singing a little made-up song) How can the river and trees even compete when my little mistress takes to her feet? (Speaking again) Even her dog, what’s-his-name, even he can’t command attention the way she can. He simply barks his unbroken adulation, his anthem of love and she laughs, taps him playfully on the nose before joining a new duet with the birds. If she could, she’d take wing, her dress billowing, drawing her above the treetops and toward the clouds. I’d be […]

2. Chiswick as it Never Was?

NARRATOR: Chiswick was a new and revolutionary kind of garden. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was fashionable to have formal gardens, which were laid out in carefully planned geometric shapes. Lord Burlington bucked that trend, with more natural-looking stretches of water and groves, opening out into sweeping lawns which created vistas, or picturesque views. These more informal gardens gave birth to the English landscape movement and were widely copied across England, including Stourhead in Wiltshire and Stowe in Buckinghamshire. Terraces like the one you’re now walking along weren’t particularly new in garden design, but Lord Burlington set a precedent by planting his with ‘… all manner of sweet shrubs, roses and honeysuckles.’ From this terrace, visitors had spectacular views across the meadows. At its height the garden estate would have been more extensive than today. Part of the land was leased to the London Horticultural Society (later the Royal Horticultural Society) for an experimental garden open to the public. Today, many landmarks in Chiswick are reminders of what was once there, such as a nearby cul-de-sac known as Horticultural Place. Many artists came to paint Chiswick including Flemish artist Andreas Rysbrack who made a series of paintings […]

102. A Revolutionary Garden

NARRATOR: The Artist Admires His Handiwork, a.k.a. ‘It’s not Bill,’ by Under 18s competition winner Florence Read, aged 15. WILLIAM KENT:  I really do wish that they’d all stop calling me Bill. My name’s William for God’s sake. I just wish that they’d leave me be, stop questioning my methods. Just because I may not be as qualified as the next horticultural wizard doesn’t mean that I lack enough talent to see this project through. It’s pretty simple really, doesn’t take much of a mind to do; bit of shrubbery here, a tree or two there, the odd topiary duck, simple. [Pause] Or not so simple. [Pause] Insanity runs in my family I think, I think it runs deep in all those who create, who inspire. When you’re sane you have to care, only the truly insane can be carefree, or free at all. I have thought a lot over the past few months, while working in the gardens. In nature, there is nothing of the city to distract you; you are utterly alone with yourself and your thoughts. [Pause] No, not at all. [Pause] It’s laughable, once I even contemplated giving it all up and leaving someone else to finish […]

3. The Artist Admires His Handiwork

NARRATOR:  Burlington added the Obelisk to the garden in 1732. Built into its base is a classical sculpture of a man and a woman, probably carved to record a marriage. It had been given to the young Burlington in 1712 and he had it inserted into the base of the obelisk in 1728. The sculpture was replaced with a copy in 2006, and the original is now on display in Chiswick House. Lord Burlington was just 10 years old when he inherited his title from his father. His inheritance included a house here at Chiswick, vast estates in Yorkshire and Ireland, and a fine town mansion in Piccadilly — today the home of the Royal Academy of Arts. In 1719, on a tour of Italy, he met William Kent, where Kent was training as a painter. By 18th century standards, they were an unlikely match: a formal and reserved aristocrat and a warm, witty and irreverent Yorkshireman. But they formed a close lifelong friendship. In fact, when Kent died in 1748, he was buried in Lord Burlington’s family vault. Kent became one of the most influential designers of the 1730s and 1740s with the support of Lord Burlington. The art […]

103. The Obelisk, Lord Burlington and William Kent

NARRATOR:  Former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion reads his poem, ‘The Ionic Temple, Chiswick.’ SIR ANDREW MOTION:  Once upon a time it was the thimble a seamstress might wear to work for the big Classical gods. For us it more nearly resembles the domed nose of a cruise missile easing upwards from its silo. But enough of that. When we step inside it fits so snugly I might as well have discovered a way of living in your head as you now live in mine. The skylight in the centre overhead is a fontanel yet to close. We can stare straight back at the sun.

4. The Ionic Temple

NARRATOR:  After Lord Burlington died in 1753, Chiswick House was inherited by his daughter, Charlotte, who married the 4th Duke of Devonshire. The Devonshires were one of the richest and most powerful families in England. Under their ownership, which lasted for 140 years, Chiswick continued to change, with innovative designs that reflected cutting-edge trends. In 1788, the 5th Duke expanded the house, adding two wings that contained kitchens and living accommodation and Chiswick became a proper country mansion. The sombre Duke, who preferred dogs to people, and his wife, Georgiana, made the house a centre of political society, where they threw lavish parties. Georgiana was a fashion icon, famous for her enormous ostrich feather headdresses, her towering hair-dos, and her manner of speaking, the ‘Devonshire House Drawl’. She was equally infamous for her addictions, extramarital affairs and gambling debts. However, she loved Chiswick, calling it her ‘earthly paradise,’ her refuge. At the end of the 19th century, the house became another sort of refuge: it was let to the Tuke brothers, who opened a private asylum for wealthy individuals with mental illnesses.

104. Chiswick after Lord Burlington

NARRATOR: ‘A Place of Healing’ by Adults competition winner Jo Thomas. Constance: Another beautiful day Lydia, and in such perfect surroundings. Lydia:  Dearest Constance, I could not agree more. When Edmund told me the rest home was in Chiswick, I was most distressed at the thought of leaving London for the country, but I am now beginning to wonder how we shall ever get used to the noise of Belgravia again! Constance:  I completely agree with you my dearest. And how kind of our husbands to arrange for this period of recuperation for us. Although, if I were to be completely honest, I am a little surprised I have not been recalled to Ebury Street by now. I was of the impression that our period of rest was for two weeks. Correct me if I am wrong Lydia, but I believe we have both been here for something closer to three months? Lydia: Dearest, that is indeed the case. And I feel sure we are now well recuperated. Which is more than one can say for some of our fellow guests. There is a clever word for people who covet the possessions of others, I cannot remember it just at […]

5. A Place of Healing

NARRATOR: The Tuke brothers ran their mental asylum here at Chiswick for more than 35 years. Rather than prescribing drugs, they listened and talked to their patients and were celebrated for their enlightened attitudes. Dr Thomas Seymour Tuke’s obituary described how his personal tact with patients led to them looking upon him as a trusted friend more than a doctor. Most of the patients came from the upper middle class, gentry and aristocracy. Their days were mainly spent in the gardens, walking arm in arm with nurses. They also went on escorted outings to the theatre and played cricket on a pitch here at Chiswick that the Tukes laid out in the 1890s. Cricket played a therapeutic role of sorts for patients. The doctors were keen cricketers themselves- Dr Charles Tuke played for Middlesex- and they encouraged patients to play and brought in outside teams for some healthy competition. One case note for a ‘Mr M’, who played cricket daily, reports that he ‘made a good score of 49 not out against the police’. Cricket is a sporting tradition that continues at Chiswick to this day.

105. A Peaceful Asylum

NARRATOR: ‘A Sporting Tradition’ by Chiswick Residents competition winner Nigel Macarthur. MALE VOICE (in a comic fashion): Our spying is top secret, We will not give our names. Inside the boundary, cricket. Outside are other games. We’re here to pass a message, When we receive our cue. The scores, appeals and all the rest, Conceal a thing or two. The match, we’re told, is choreographed, Down to the ice creams bought. We buy our raspberry ripples, When the score is two for nought. Our rivals, though, have followed. They’re very different men. One’s thickset, scruffy, tie askew. He does rough stuff, as-and-when. The other, Trevor Howard-like, Will get the ladies chatting, And try to find our movements, While the openers are batting. The pitch grows unpredictable, Thanks to the recent rain. Those pre-planned cues and signals, Begin to feel the strain. The bowler tries to slow the ball, But it swings off the seam. The bails are dancing through the air, Like an aerobatic team. We’re forced to signal much too soon. My hands begin to shake. The cigar falls in my ice cream, Like a leaf-wrapped chocolate flake. And that one was my only one! It’s far too damp to […]

6. A Sporting Tradition

NARRATOR:  From 1946 until 1992 the Turnham Green Cricket Club played on the pitch at weekends. Celebrity cricket matches were a regular feature in the 1940s and 50s, in which famous cricketers like Denis Compton and Colin Cowdrey took part. As you continue along the path, you will come to an elegant stone bridge, today known as the Classic Bridge. It was built for the 5th Duke of Devonshire in 1774 and was designed by the architect James Wyatt. During the Second World War, the gardens were hit by several German bombs. If you take a look closer at the bridge, you can still see shrapnel damage. Today, the artificial lake that the bridge spans is a haven for a wide variety of birds and bats, as well as a group of terrapins and a heron. As you continue further along the path, you should soon see the Ionic temple again. The towering obelisk in front of it stood at the centre of a circular pool of water, which was once surrounded by orange trees. Lord Burlington liked to grow oranges and created the garden’s orangery around 1726.

106. The Classic Bridge and Orangery

NARRATOR:  ‘An Audience of Oranges,’ a.k.a. ‘Critic’s Circle’ by Adult competition winner Katharine Kavanagh. Waiting in the wings the sweet triffids, potted critics, surround the scene, ready to pass judgement. The fidgety restlessness that comes from fur, feather and feet is held in awe. An awe-dience. Who will be victorious in this battle of wills and Stillness? For there, facing down his foes, the lone stone owns the stage. The rows of green, neatly trimmed and pruned, uniform and proper, rustle gently in the breeze, but maintain their composure. ‘His poise is good,’ ‘Elegant.’ Hushed, like the slow stroke of sleepy summer butterflies, the tension of this Act leaks softly through the air with the scent of oranges. ‘It can’t last,’ ‘He has to crack,’ ‘All alone out there,’ ‘And we are many,’ ‘Many,’ ‘Many,’ ‘We are populous.’ The rings would close in if they could. ‘We will stand here,’ ‘We will watch,’ ‘We will wait,’ ‘We are many,’ ‘Many,’ ‘Many,’ ‘He is one.’ ‘Our fruit has been a theatrical fixture since the days of Seneca and his orangeries in Rome,’ ‘Since the celebrated Shakespeare plied the globe with his trade,’ ‘Succulent and sweet, we are never hard, never bitter’ […]

7. An Audience of Oranges

NARRATOR:  At the end of this path is one of the key features of Chiswick’s garden, a series of radiating avenues forms known as a patte d’oie, or ‘goosefoot.’ It probably dates from 1716 and has been restored to its original appearance. Each avenue ends in an ‘eye-catcher’ – an ornamental building intended to draw the eye to the end of each vista. Today, you can see a rustic house and a Doric column, although only the rustic house is original from Burlington’s time. The large lawn behind Chiswick House is closed at one end by a dramatic semi-circular hedge known as the exedra. Here, you can see a recreation of Burlington’s collection of 18th-century sculpture, including copies of antique figures said to be the ancient Roman figures of Caesar, Pompey and Cicero. They were brought back from Rome by Lord Burlington and the originals are now inside the House. The statues of the lion and lioness, completed about 1733, were probably sculpted by Flemish sculptor Pieter Scheemakers. This area of the garden also features Cedar of Lebanon trees, planted nearly three hundred years ago. Lord Burlington was amongst the first aristocrats to introduce this type of tree to an […]

107. Goosefoot, Exedra, and Rock’n’Roll

NARRATOR:  ‘Long Necked Visitors’ by Under 18s competition winner Lily Hewitt, aged 17. Herald:  And to welcome the Tsar of Russia to Chiswick Gardens, we have for the audience’s pleasure, four giraffes on show originally from the distant land of Africa. Giraffe:  They say I’m from Africa, but I don’t remember it now. I was just a calf when I was shipped over, rammed tight into the crates so we didn’t fall over in the storms that brewed, turning the sky into a bruised blue. I remember the colours of Africa though; the yellow brown of baked sand under the scorching sun, the green of leaves as I strained up to reach them. The sky here is grey and fat droplets of rain fall year round. I was brought from Surrey Zoo. They say that I’m long-necked, but look at them! The women crane their heads to stare while the children poke fingers against my leathery skin. As I look around at the pink blossom trees and frothy, brown evergreens it makes me smile because doesn’t every creature look for something bigger? The animal looks at the wilderness of the plains, the boys in their breeches tip their heads up […]

8. Long-Necked Visitors

Ornamental oasis. Mental asylum. Much-loved public park. For nearly three hundred years, Chiswick House and Gardens have had a varied and sometimes surprising existence. Largely the creation of the 18th-century aristocrat Lord Burlington, Chiswick is also a place of great significance in garden history. It was here that Lord Burlington pioneered a more natural style of gardening that was to spread worldwide. It became of one of Britain’s greatest contributions to European art: the English landscape garden. Today that garden has been restored, with more than 1600 new trees and shrubs planted, original walkways cleared and vistas newly opened. On this trail, you’ll explore the gardens by searching out the Picture in the Landscape easels, which show historic images of the gardens at different points in its history. Ten writers have used these images as inspiration for poems, short plays, and sketches. Five of the writers are winners of the Chiswick Gardens audio trail competition, held in 2010. The other five are a mixture of established and emerging writers, including Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

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Chiswick House & Gardens

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