Hampton Court
Flower Show 2002
Friday
we visited Kenwood …the grounds are mostly landscape and wonderful
to walk around, but it’s the interior that is so incredible.
Kenwood, one of the treasures of
London
and an idyllic country retreat
close to the popular villages of Hampstead and Highgate. Bequeathed
to the nation by Edward Guinness, first Earl of Iveagh, some of the
world's finest artists are represented inside, while outside Kenwood
stands on 112 acres of landscaped grounds commanding a fine prospect
towards central
London
, with meadow walks and an
ornamental lake designed by Humphrey Repton.
When Lord Mansfield commissioned Robert Adam to remodel Kenwood in
the 1760s, it was as a country retreat. Today, over two hundred
years later, none of the rural idyll has vanished, not withstanding
its location so near the capital.
As for the house, the finest room is undoubtedly Robert Adam's Great
Room, which was Lord Mansfield's library. It represents one of
Adam's most outstanding domestic achievements.
Kenwood is also famous for the collection of paintings. Many
consider it to be the finest collection in the country outside of a
national art gallery. There is a self-portrait by Rembrandt,
Vermeer's Guitar Player, and Gainsborough's Mary, Countess Howe, as
well as works by Turner and Reynolds. It is likely that some of the
eighteenth century portraits are of people whom Lord Mansfield
invited to his grand dinners and dances.
I didn’t take any pictures this time as I had some from
previous tours.
Also
this day was Highwood Ash, a private garden owned by the Glucksteins.
Mrs. Gluckstein and her head gardener gave us a wonderful
tour around this garden. I
had seen this garden the year before when the rose garden was fairly
new. This year it was
more in bloom and took a couple of pictures of the roses there that
caught my eye. We had a
nice visit here along with tea and cakes.
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