Fort Belvedere (Shrub Hill Tower)

Built / Designed For: William, Duke of Cumberland

House & Family History: Fort Belvedere is a country house on Shrub Hill in Windsor Great Park, very near Sunningdale, Berkshire, though the House is actually over the border in Runnymede in Surrey. Circa 1750-55 Isaac Ware designed a triangular tower (the first in England) called Shrub Hill Tower for William, Duke of Cumberland. When Jeffry Wyattville extended the tower into a residence between 1827 and 1829 the House became Fort Belvedere; it served as a royal residence between 1750 and 1976. The Fort is most famous as the country retreat of King Edward VIII, most famously as the place where he signed the instrument of abdication in 1936. The House remains a crown property and is leased today as a private residence to Canadian businessman Galen Weston and his wife, Hilary Weston, the former lieutenant-governor of Ontario. Galen's company, Wittington Investments Limited, owns Selfridge's, Heal's, and Fortnum & Mason, among other notable British businesses.
Architect: Jeffry Wyatville (Wyattville) (Wyatt)

Date of Birth: 1766
Date of Death: 1840
Nationality: British
Notes: Wyatville (originally Wyatt) was the son of Joseph Wyatt and trained as an architect in the London office of his uncle, Samuel Wyatt, followed, in 1792, by work with another uncle, the more famous James Wyatt. After 1799 he setup his own practice, and, by the 1820s, was one of the leading English architects. The pinnacle of Wyatville's career was his transformation of Windsor Castle (between 1824 and 1840) for George IV. On Aug 12, 1824 George IV, by royal license, authorized the architect to change his surname from Wyatt to Wyatville. In 1828 Wyatville was knighted.

Date: 1827-29
Designed: Extended Tower into castellated residence for for George IV

View all houses

Architect: Isaac Ware

Date of Birth: 1704
Date of Death: 1766
Nationality: English
Notes: Ware was a follower of William Kent and a protégé of Lord Burlington. It was under Burlington's patronage that Ware put together Palladio's drawings of Roman imperial baths and published them in 1730. Charles Cameron was a pupil of Ware's.

Date: Circa 1750-55
Designed: Triangular Tower for Duke of Cumberland

View all houses
Title: Buildings of England: Berkshire, The
Author: Pevsner, Nikolaus
Year Published: 1966
Publisher: London: Penguin Books
ISBN: NA
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade I
"Edward & Mrs. Simpson" (1978 - TV mini series).
Current Seat / Home of: Galen and Hilary Weston

Past Seat / Home of: HRH William, Duke of Cumberland, 18th century. King Edward VIII, 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: The Crown / Royal Family

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

Ownership Details: Leased as a private residence
House Open to Public: No
Historic Houses Member: No

Fort Belvedere (Shrub Hill Tower)

House, Family & Collections History

Architects

Bibliography / Reading List for this House

Listings for House & Park

Location for Film & TV

Families Who’ve Lived Here / Current Ownership Type & Use

Access

VISIT AND HELP PRESERVE HISTORIC BRITISH HOUSES