DiCamillo Companion
England

Shadwell Park (Shadwell Court) (Shadwell Lodge)

  • Built / Designed For: John Buxton

    House & Family History: John Buxton, who was an amateur architect, designed Shadwell Park for himself in the 18th century; the house was hugely expanded in the 19th century to the designs of Edward Blore and S.S. Teulon. The main (east) facade has bold Jacobean and Gothic features, while the interiors are equally impressive: there are 52 rooms in total, including a cruciform central hall, which spans the width of the building. In 1898 John Musker, co-founder of Home & Colonial Stores, purchased Shadwell. At the death of his grandson in 1992, the estate was purchased by the Shadwell Estate Company, which was owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktum, an Emirati politician, who incorporated Shadwell Park into his Nunnery Stud, based at Thetford. Since its purchase by Sheikh Hamdan, who died in 2021, the house has been unoccupied, which led to major outbreaks of dry rot, roof leaks, and claims by heritage organizations of negligence.

    Collections: The contents of Shadwell Park were auctioned by Sotheby's on October 21 and 22, 1992.

    Comments: SAVE Britain's Heritage on Shadwell: "This glorious mansion is one of the most important buildings in Norfolk." Mark Girouard called Shadwell "...a dazzling display of Victorian fireworks, a work of genius."

  • Garden & Outbuildings: In the mid-19th century the Shadwell Estate covered 10,000 acres.

  • Architect: Edward Lovett Pearce

    Date: 1720s
    Designed: May have helped John Buxton design Shadwell Lodge

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    Architect: John Soane

    Date: 1790s
    Designed: Altered and extended house
    (Attribution of this work is uncertain)
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    Architect: John Buxton

    Date: 1727-30
    Designed: House, then called Shadwell Lodge, for himself.

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    Architect: Edward Blore

    Date: Circa 1840-43
    Designed: Doubled size of house to the south for Sir John Jacob Buxton, 2nd Bt.

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    Architect: Samuel Sanders Teulon

    Date: 1857-60
    Designed: Extended house to the north for Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, 3rd Bt.

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  • Country Life: Jul 2, 1964.

  • Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - HARDBACK
    Author: Colvin, Howard
    Year Published: 2008
    Reference: pgs. 132, 206, 794
    Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
    ISBN: 9780300125085
    Book Type: Hardback

    Title: Disintegration of a Heritage: Country Houses and their Collections, 1979-1992, The
    Author: Sayer, Michael
    Year Published: 1993
    Publisher: Norfolk: Michael Russell (Publishing)
    ISBN: 0859551970
    Book Type: Hardback

    Title: Burke's & Savills Guide to Country Houses, Volume III: East Anglia
    Author: Kenworthy-Browne, John; Reid, Peter; Sayer, Michael; Watkin, David
    Year Published: 1981
    Reference: pg. 183
    Publisher: London: Burke's Peerage
    ISBN: 0850110351
    Book Type: Hardback

  • House Listed: Grade I

    Park Listed: Grade II

  • Past Seat / Home of: John Buxton, 1729-31; Sir Robert John Buxton, 1st Bt., until 1839; Sir John Jacob Buxton, 2nd Bt., 1839-42; Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, 3rd Bt., 1842-88; Buxton family here until 1898. Sir John Musker, 1898-1926; Sir Harold John Musker, 1942-92.

    Current Ownership Type: Corporation

    Primary Current Ownership Use: Unoccupied

  • House Open to Public: No

    Historic Houses Member: No