Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere at the beginning of the 20th century

Fort Belvedere is a country house in the UK on Shrubs Hill in Windsor Great Park near the village of Sunningdale (county Berkshire ), is but across the border in the district of Runnymede in the county of Surrey . Fort Belvedere, which was a royal residence between 1750 and 1976, is particularly well-known as the country residence of King Edward VIII. The building is owned by the Crown and is currently occupied by a private tenant.

Early history

Fort Belvedere was built between 1750 and 1755 for a brother of George III. built by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland , known for his role in the Battle of Culloden . Initially, the building was a folly (a building designed more from an aesthetic than a purely practical point of view). It was used as a summer residence and seven counties could be seen from the top of the flagpole tower, as it is today . The triangular, towered structure was built in the middle of a dense population of trees and overlooks Virginia Water , an artificial body of water created by the brothers Thomas and Paul Sandby at the Duke's behest .

Sir Jeffry Wyatville , who was responsible for the renovation of Windsor Castle under George IV , enlarged the house in 1829 for use as a hunting lodge . Among the extensions was an octagonal room in the northeastern part where the king ate regularly.

The military appearance of the house was also reinforced during the construction work, although it never had a military purpose. A set of 31 cannons, cast by the Royal Foundry's first master caster between 1729 and 1749, were used to fire gun salutes until 1907, often for Queen Victoria , who frequently visited the fort. The Bombardier who was responsible for maintaining the cannons lived in Bombardier's Cottage , which is connected to the main building by an archway.

The estate was later used by a number of members of the royal family or their servants. In 1911 the old building was converted into a residence and Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn moved in. The fort has seven bedrooms. On the banks of Virginia Water , parts of an ancient temple made of Leptis Magna near Tripoli are used as garden ornaments.

King Edward VIII

The building stood empty from 1929 and was Edward, Prince of Wales , his father George V paid. The fort became the prince's primary residence and was used extensively by him for entertainment and as a country retreat. The garden designer Norah Lindsay advised him on the layout of the gardens, especially on the selection of roses. When he became king in 1936, Eduard continued to live in the fort, although he now had a much wider choice of residences.

The fort was the scene of the abdication crisis in the late autumn of 1936, to Eduard himself abdication was forced after the governments of Britain and the Dominions against a marriage to Wallis Simpson had spoken. Edward held his final meetings with Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin at the fort , and it was here that he signed his declaration of abdication, witnessed by his three brothers.

Eduard lived in Fort Belvedere between 1930 and 1936. During this time, the interior was extensively remodeled by Syrie Maugham .

Later residents

During World War II , the fort was used by the Crown Estates commissioners who had been evacuated from London . After the war the house was empty. Between 1956 and 1975, Gerald Lascelles , a grandson of George V and Edward's nephew, was tenant under a 99-year lease, restored the gardens and built a swimming pool and tennis court. In 1976 the Emir of Dubai moved in . The fort is currently the residence of Galen Weston , the Canadian owner of George Weston Limited , whose wife Hilary was Lieutenant governor of Ontario from 1996 to 2001 .

The Crown Estates commissioners continue to own the estate, which is part of Windsor Great Park .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Charles Quest-Ritson: The English Garden abroad. Hammondswords, Penguin 1992, 212

Coordinates: 51 ° 24 ′ 16 "  N , 0 ° 36 ′ 43.5"  W.