2022 : Temple Room, Dining Room and West Corridor, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire 2023: State Dining Room Stowe House Buckinghamshire

2022
Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by the Stowe House Preservation Trust
to undertake historic building investigation and recording during a programme
of repairs and conservation works at Stowe House, Stowe, Buckinghamshire.
The works focused on three rooms to the west side of the house: the Temple
Room (or State Drawing Room), the Dining Room and the West Corridor.
Stowe House is a Grade 1 listed mansion of exceptional historic significance
and the conservation works have provided an opportunity to investigate parts
of the structure which are usually hidden.
The rooms covered by the recording were constructed during the various
phases of extensive remodelling at Stowe during the 18th century. The State
Dining Room was established in the 1740s, initially comprising a gallery but
having been converted to the State Dining Room by 1817; the West Corridor
was formed between 1733-1750 due to the reconfiguration of the Great
Parlour; and the State Drawing Room was constructed in 1776.
The work has included preparing an archive record of the rooms prior to the
start of conservation as well as the further investigation of areas during
intrusive works. These largely concentrated on the ceilings, walls and floors
(boards and joists beneath) but also included other features such as a
fireplace.
The pre-works recording has included photogrammetric survey of the exquisite
ceiling in the Temple Room and the floors in the Temple Room and State Dining
Room.
2023
Oxford Archaeology (OA) was commissioned by the Stowe House Preservation
Trust to undertake historic building investigation and recording during a
programme of repairs and conservation works at Stowe House, Stowe,
Buckinghamshire. The work focused on the walls of the State Dining Room. The
site recording took place between 13th September and 7th November 2022.
Stowe House is a Grade I listed mansion of exceptional historic significance and
the conservation works have provided an opportunity to investigate parts of the
structure which are usually hidden.
The State Dining Room was established in the 1740s, initially comprising a
gallery but having been converted to the State Dining Room by 1817.
The work included recording and investigation of areas during intrusive work.
These concentrated on the walls but also included other features such as
fireplaces and joinery.
This report follows the previous OA report (OA 2022, Temple Room, Dining Room,
and West Corridor. Stowe House, Buckinghamshire. Historic Building Recording)
and complements it with further information about the walls and fireplaces of
the Dining Room without reproducing it.