Description

SP 9632-9732,
10/151

WOBURN,
WOBURN PARK
Chinese Dairy and adjoining covered ways

23.01.61

GV

I

Ornamental dairy in Chinese Chippendale style. Circa 1788 by Henry Holland
for Francis 5th Duke of Bedford. Flanking covered ways are simpler and not
Chinese in style, and may be later additions. Porch added soon after 1804 by
Humphry Repton. Mainly of painted timber, with slate roofs. Dairy: small
square building sited on western edge of ornamental pond. Single-storeyed,
with shallow cross-gabled roof. Flat-roofed verandah around N, E and S
elevations. W elevation built up against coursed ironstone wall. E
elevation has central part-glazed double doors flanked by casement windows of
same proportions. N and S elevations have large central windows. Gable of
each elevation pierced by segmental-arched light. Roof is surmounted by
octagonal lantern with fretwork sides and canopied roof. Verandah has timber
columns with moulded bases and ornamental cut timber brackets to top.
Geometrical trelliswork balustrading between columns and forming verandah
parapet. Paved with hexagonal stones. External paintwork is predominantly
red and white. INTERIOR: ornate painted decoration, probably by John Grace
(Pevsner p.170), mostly mock fretwork and bamboo-work, in blue-grey, orchre,
gold and black. Round-arched alcoves within angles give room octagonal form.
Windows contain painted glass showing figures, birds, insects and foliage. S
window includes "John Theodore Perrache fecit. 1794." Grey marble and ceramic
tiles to lower part of walls. Stone paving (including marble) to floor.
Around walls and to centre of room are bamboo and fretwork tables with marble
tops. Bamboo and painted gauze lantern suspended from centre of ceiling.
An important example of late C18 chinoiserie. Covered ways: adjoin to N and
S, N one linking dairy to game larders (see item 10/150 ), S one running
along rest of W side and part of S side of pond. Hollow-chamfered timber
piers and timber segmental arches surmounted by gabled roof. Similar colour
scheme to dairy exterior.
Bedfordshire Record Office: CRT 130 Woburn 47, Notes on the park and garden
buildings at Woburn Abbey, compiled by C Rhodes.

Listing NGR: SP9663732625

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528356

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings