Monument record 0420802074 - Temple of Modern Virtue, Elysian Fields, Stowe Landscape Gardens

Summary

Remains of eighteenth century garden temple mocking Horace Walpole recorded in field survey

Protected Status/Designation

  • SHINE: Stowe medieval to post medieval landscape garden, medieval deserted villages of Lamport & Boycott, shrunken village of Daford, also moats, manors and fishponds, ridge and furrow earthworks & cropmarks, and areas of ancient semi natural woodland

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Type and Period (1)

  • GARDEN TEMPLE (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)

Description

Mention of lost garden features (B7).
The National Trust Survey of Stowe undertaken in 1989 noted two fragments of mortared limestone set into the east bank of the sunken path. Interpreted as the remains of the Temple of Modern Virtue which was an ironic folly in the form of a ruin containing the headless statue of the Tory Prime Minister Walpole, the main political rival of Lord Cobham's (who was a Whig) (B18).

Sources (18)

  • ---SBC17422 Aerial Photograph: 04/09/76. BCM A2/11/20-22. SP\674376. Yes.
  • ---SBC20023 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2001. Stowe Park, Stowe, Buckinghamshire: An Archaeological Survey by English Heritage (Survey Report).
  • <1>SBC9229 Bibliographic reference: C Morris (ed). 1949. The Journeys of Celia Fiennes c1694. pp29-30.
  • <2>SBC14098 Bibliographic reference: SEELEY B 1766 STOWE, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAGNIFICENT HOUSE & GARDENS (WITH ILLUS) (ARE VARIOUS ED.
  • <3>SBC16278 Bibliographic reference: VERTUE G ET AL; ENGRAVINGS IN SOC OF ANTIQUARIES RED PORTFOLIO P24.
  • <4>SBC7809 Bibliographic reference: LIPSCOMB 3 PP84-108 (FULL DESCRIPTION & ILLUS OF MANSION, APARTMENTS, CONTENTS & GARDENS).
  • <7>SBC11706 Bibliographic reference: Nikolaus Pevsner. 1960. The Buildings of England: Buckinghamshire. p258.
  • <8>SBC10383 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1958. OS 1958 6IN MAP. 1:10,560.
  • <9>SBC16531 Bibliographic reference: WHISTLER L, GIBBON M & CLARKE G 1974 STOWE, A GUIDE TO THE GARDENS (HAS A FULL BIBLIOGRAPHY ON PP37-.
  • <10>SBC2990 Bibliographic reference: CLARKE G 1976 (JULY) SLIDES OF AIR PHOTOS TAKEN JULY 1976 FROM A BALLOON SHOWING FORMER GARDEN FEATU.
  • <11>SBC2991 Bibliographic reference: CLARKE G 1979 (DEC) LETTER RE ICE HOUSES (ON CAS FILE) ALSO OS 1880/5 6-INCH 1:10560 (1ST EDN).
  • <12>SBC8335 Unpublished document: MEEHAN J 1988 STOWE; ELYSIAN FIELDS TREE & LEVEL SURVEY (TYPESCRIPT REPORT & MAP, FILED).
  • <13>SBC16362 Bibliographic reference: WAINWRIGHT A 1989 NATIONAL TRUST ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY: STOWE (COPY, FILED).
  • <14>SBC3681 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1983. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
  • <15>SBC9897 Bibliographic reference: NATTES C 1805-9 COLLECTION OF 105 SKETCHES & DRAWINGS OF STOWE (AT BCM).
  • <16>SBC16364 Bibliographic reference: WAINWRIGHT A 1993 REPORTS ON THE STOWE PYRAMID, THE SAXON DEITIES & THE SOUTH FRONT (COPIES, FILED).
  • <17>SBC4634 Bibliographic reference: English Heritage. 1994. REGISTER OF PARKS & GARDENS OF SPECIAL HISTORIC INTEREST IN ENGLAND: BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Part 4.
  • <18>SBC19992 Unpublished document: Angus Wainwright. 1989. The National Trust Archaeological Survey: Stowe. pp29.

Location

Grid reference SP 6764 3727 (point)
Civil Parish STOWE, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

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Record last edited

Nov 3 2024 5:48PM

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