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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Stowe
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(27km/17m E of Banbury) House of the late 17C, made more grandiose in the early 18C by *Vanbrugh (outside) and William *Kent (inside). Since 1923 it has been occupied by Stowe School, a boys' *public school. The gardens are the glory of Stowe, being the most extensive of their kind in Britain (some 30 temples and other follies in about 162ha/400ac). Virtually a pattern book in the development of *landscape gardening, they are unique in having been created during three stylistic periods and in retaining traces of each.
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They were begun from 1713 in a formal style, with straight avenues, to the design of the royal gardener Charles Bridgeman (d. 1738). William *Kent then took a hand, introducing heroic classical elements in an idealized landscape, with features such as the Temple of Ancient Virtue and the Temple of British Worthies (displaying 16 half-length busts of heroes from King *Alfred to Alexander *Pope). Finally the softer landscape of the Grecian Valley, more broadly sketched with belts and clumps of trees, was the contribution of Capability *Brown, who was head gardener here for ten years from 1841.
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