Description

SU 96 NE EGHAM LONDON ROAD (off)

3/117 Fort Belvedere

GV II*

House, formerly folly then fort and house. Built originally c1750-55 for William,
Duke of Cumberland probably by Isaac Ware. Enlarged and altered for George IV 1827-29
by Wyattville then working at Windsor Castle. Reclaimed modernised and used by the
Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII up to the Abdication in 1936. The original triangular
folly with hexagonal angle turrets can still be distinguished in spite of the crenell-
ations of George IV's fort. It was built of brick, but like the rest of the buildings,
rendered by Wyattville with 'garnetted' (flint galleted) joints. Turned by George
IV into a battery for royal salutes, etc, with the Duke of Cumberland; bronze guns,
Wyattville heightened the flanking tower, linked it to the new Magazine Tower to
rest first by an ashtray and forecast, then by an angled 2 storey entrance block.
To the North was added an octagonal single storey dinning room and a 3 storey
complete with tower to South East. Further South East was built a small cottage
linked by archway. C1910 additions included a larger service wing forming small
office cart to East (replaced c1955 by small modern block), and a low single storey
addition with porch to South. No structural additions were made for Edward VIII,
but various alterations and refurbishing supervised by Sir Gates Gilbert Scott.
Approached for the South, Fort Belvedere presents an uneven crenellated skyline with
angled masses. To the left is the hexagonal Magazine Tower linked to the side of
the original triangular structure and flaking turrets by angled 2 storey entrance
block fronted by low single storey c1910 projections with porch to right. Behind
porch to left is staircase tower with recessed stump of original 2nd stage, separating
the entrance block for a flat 2 storey, 3 window, extension which the porch meets
as an angle which fronts the earlier 3 storey block. To right is an archway which
links with the 2 storey 1 window crenellated cottage with angled bay on ground floor.
On the South front the 1929-30 alterations involved the insertion of flat headed
steep framed windows.
Interior: most important is the original nuclues which retains excellent naturalistic
and formal stucco work in the upper storeys of both NE and NW towers (reminiscent
of work done c1750 at Rousham by Roberts of Oxford). The present "Queen's Bedroom"
is probably the original Great rooms in the upper storey of the Belvedere with the
added angled bay (by Wyattville) with gothic glazing to North. Most of the interior
has been carefully decorated in the late C18 and Regency styles.

Listing NGR: SU9663668184

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Fort Belvedere, Surrey at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q1438460

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

• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas