The entrance facade
The entrance facade
Detail of roofline on entrance facade
View from entrance facade steps
The garden facade
One of the rear pavilions
View from garden facade
The entrance hall
The staircase hall
The drawing room
The drawing room
The dining room
Built / Designed For: Henry Davenport
House & Family History: The 16th century Italian architect Palladio was a huge influence on English country house architecture, but while many houses, including Kedleston Hall and Nostell Priory, aspired to adopt the ground plan of his Villa Mocenigo, few houses were actually built with the main block and four outlying linked pavilions. Davenport House is one such house, although, unlike that other Mocenigo plan house, Holkham Hall, it is built largely of mellow red brick to provide an essentially English Baroque response to the grand Italian design initiative. Designed by Francis Smith of Warwick prior to 1726 for Henry Davenport, who had an Indian fortune to spend, the house has superb plasterwork and joinery. The entrance hall and staircase hall's walls are treated like rusticated masonry, with a grand plaster trophy of arms over the chimneypiece conceived to give the impression of a grand Italian cortile. The saloon, axially placed behind the entrance hall, could not be a greater contrast (with intricate marquetry inlay panels and a superb view across a great circular pond basin) to the rolling valley of the River Worfe below. Davenport stands at the heart of an estate that is still owned by the Davenport family. (We are most grateful to Gareth Williams for this history of Davenport House.)
John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. II, p. 213, 1853.
Country Life: CXI, 1996, 1952. CXII, 40, 114, 1952.
Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - HARDBACK
Author: Colvin, Howard
Year Published: 2008
Reference: pg. 944
Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300125085
Book Type: Hardback
Title: Smith of Warwick: Francis Smith, Architect and Master-Builder
Author: Gomme, Andor
Year Published: 2000
Reference: pg. 184
Publisher: Lincolnshire: Shaun Tyas
ISBN: 1900289385
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade I
Park Listed: Grade II*
Current Seat / Home of: Roger and Jane Murphy
Past Seat / Home of: Henry Davenport, early 18th century.
Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust
Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home
Ownership Details: House is owned by the Davenport family and leased to Roger and Jane Murphy. Davenport is available for events and is not open to the public, though a restaurant is open on a limited basis.
House Open to Public: Limited Access
Phone: 01746-716-221
Fax: 01746-716-021
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.davenporthouse.co.uk
Historic Houses Member: No