Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Country Homes: Hartwell House


Location: Buckinghamshire
Famous Inhabitants: Marie Therese (daughter of Marie Antoinette)
Website: Hartwell House

8 comments:

  1. Hi Heather, I love your blog but haven't left a comment before (ooh I'm nervous!) but seeing as you are in the mood for dallying around country houses today, I thought you should take a look at this: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/searchresults.aspx?intSaleID=22870#action=paging&intSaleID=22870&sid=45c75ac5-6570-415d-9de0-938dae8ce8dd&pg=1
    Althorp Livery! Carriages! Miniatures! Thankfully most of the lots seem to be over to prevent irresponsible bids you might regret...

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  2. Yeah that didn't work... this should though!

    http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/slideshow.aspx?saleid=22870&highlights=true

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  3. what a cool link! all those carriages. sigh.

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  4. Oh wow, I love the glow of the sky's colours in the fog in the background. The house is neat, a stately, rustic, romantic elegance. I like the wearing away of the stone or the colour on the stone, is it? Moss?

    Either way I like that it's not a perfect facade, they've let time show on it & this country house wears it well. Like men who look more distinguished with their grey hair.

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  5. Hahaha Aimee! So much pressure! Thank you for that most awesome link! I instantly recognized the miniature of Georgiana's daughters. Who would have thought it would end up at Althorp!

    @Sheep, Sometimes dirtied facades bother me too but I agree, this one is just right!

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  6. She has such a sad story. A very nice early life, her father loved her (unlike Henry 8), she also was very smart. Overall she had the normal life of a Princess. But, when the Rev came to France her younger brother was clutching his mother crying as they were going to take him from Marie Antoinette. If they couldn't take Louis they were going to first shoot Marie Therese then Marie Antoinette. Seeing her daughter at risk, Marie Antoinette willing gave up Louis. He was crying as he was carried out.

    After that, Marie Therese was taken to a prision were she wrote on her jail walls how unhappy she was.

    She ended up moving to England with her husband and his family. She was so close to her father-in-law. Probably trying to re-capture the family she never had...

    Sorry if I went on a little too long. I love history-like everyone here!

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  7. Now, there's a little country place I could settle into nicely, providing the kitchen is large enough for my staff. Yeah, right. I AM my staff!

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  8. @Jean, Hahaha too funny! I keep ringing for servants, yet they never appear...

    @Duchess, Have you read Marie Therese's biography by Susan Nagel? If you haven't I would highly recommend it!

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