Appuldurcombe House, Wroxall (Isle of Wight)

Introduction

The shell of Appuldurcombe, once the grandest house on the Isle of Wight and still an important example of English baroque Architecture: the 1701 east front has now been restored. It stands in 'Capability' Brown-designed grounds. An exhibition of photographs and prints depict the house and its history.

You can also visit the Freemantle Gate (part of the 1770s neo-Classical addition to the estate) on the nearby public footpath, and the adjacent Falconry Centre (not under the care of English Heritage - extra charges apply).

History to the present day

Just the shell remains of the lovely, 18th century house built on the estate of Appuldurcombe. The site was previously connected to a Norman priory and is surrounded by a vast expanse of rolling downs on the Isle of Wight. This estate was the family seat of the Worsley family for over 300 years.

The Baroque style Appuldurcombe House was commenced in 1701 on the site of the large Tudor house inherited by Sir Robert Worsley. The construction was finally finished 70 years later, by Robert's great nephew, Sir Richard. The fine country house displays French architectural influences and unusually, the central section of the house was not emphasised. Instead Appuldurcombe House had prominent pavilions (or wings) projecting at either end of the middbuilding. Absolutlel typical of the English Baroque style are the intricate mouldings around the door and windows, however the overall appearance could be considered more Italianate in style, with its great columns and Corinthian capitals.

Sir Richard Worsley also initiated the landscaping of the Appuldurcombe's extensive grounds, and called upon the fashionable Capability Brown to undertake the task. Several 'eye-catching' monuments were erected at high points, and on the crest of the hill, at the northern edge of the park, the imposing Freemantle Gate is still standing; a reminder of the glorious days the house once knew.

Sir Richard died in 1805, and for the next 100 years or so, Appuldurcombe House was used variously as a private home, an unsuccessful hotel and a college for young gentlemen. During the first years of the 20th century, it accommodated a small group of Benedictine monks, forced to leave their abbey in France, and from then on it remained largely uninhabited, except by troops throughout both World Wars.