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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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Wilton House
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(6km/4m W of Salisbury) Originally a Tudor house, built by the Herbert family on the site of Wilton Abbey, but famous for its 17C south front. This is traditionally attributed to Inigo *Jones but is now believed to have been built in Jones's Palladian style by a French architect, Isaac de Caus, in 1636–7. There was a fire in the new wing in 1647, after which the present rooms were created by Inigo *Jones's assistant, John Webb (1611–72). The famous 'double cube' room (18m/60ft by 9m/30ft, and 9m/30ft high) was designed partly to hold a superb collection of paintings by Van *Dyck, in particular the large Herbert family group which occupies an end wall. Next door is the 'single cube' room, 9m/30ft in each dimension. The interior of the courtyard was much altered in the early 19C when James *Wyatt added a Gothic sculpture gallery.
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