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This old house: excavations at Chiswick House
In the early 18th century, Palladian style ruled England as the most fashionable for a British country house or public building. The man responsible, Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694-1753), designed the building that started this architectural revolution. English Heritage archaeologists have recently had a rare chance to investigate Britain’s first ‘Palladian’ country house.
Chiswick House is a spectacular Grade I listed Palladian villa set within extensive landscaped grounds, which are themselves widely accepted to be the birthplace of the English landscape movement. The restoration works currently taking place in the grounds have given archaeologists the first opportunity to investigate previously undisturbed parts of the site close to the 18th century villa.
What would these excavations uncover of the earlier buildings on the site, and does any evidence of the former garden designs remain? Maps and pictures can show us ground-plans and exterior facades at specific points in time. However, archaeology can uncover the missing details – how houses were buil
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