West Wycombe is a small village located about 35 miles from London in the UK. It is was the 18th century home of Sir Francis Dashwood, 2nd Baronet, and founding member of the Dilettanti society and the infamous Hellfire Club. West Wycombe Park contains his former home and expansive surrounding estate. The estate is modest compared to some, but it was beautiful, peaceful, and not crowded with people at all. It is currently managed by the National Trust. Nearby is the West Wycombe Hill, which I will document in an upcoming blog post.
1: One of the first things I found was the Temple of Venus, one of the many structures (also called follies) within the park. This one is a 1980s reconstruction of the original 18th century one. The rotunda contains a copy of the Venus de Milo. I found a great vantage point that caught the reflection of the Temple on the nearby stream.2: Pictured is the Water Garden. Despite the recent rain, the water levels were so low in the park, this fountain wasn’t functioning. 3: A stone bridge across the stream. The water levels were very low here as well.4: The view through one of the windows at the Temple of the Winds, one of the many structures located throughout the park.5: The island in the middle of the 9 acre man-made lake contains a nice variety of trees and birds.6: In the foreground is a water discharge that allows more water to flow through the Cascade(next photo). In the background are the Gothic Boathouse and Music Temple. The Music Temple contained a stage and was used for private concerts.7: The Cascade is the point where the lake meets the nearby streams. You can see the Temple of Music in the distance. You can see the balls of mistletoe within the tree reflected in the stream.8: I found this path and decided to find out where it led. It turned out to be a dead end. It was so quiet and peaceful, so it was a good opportunity to reflect.9: I visited during the off season, but during the summer months, you can view several of the interior rooms. Perhaps one day will be able to return.10: At the rear of the house are these two identical doors separated by a statue. Being unable to go inside, I wondered why two doors so close together were needed.
