– A book review by the WLHG
Published in Windlesora 08 (1989)
© WLHG
This book traces the history of Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park from the time of Cromwell, when Parliament sold off Crown Lands and John Byfield, a retired officer, built himself a house on his newly-acquired land in the Great Park. After the Restoration, the land reverted to the Crown and the house became the home of the Rangers of the Great Park. As each Ranger took over so changes and additions were made to the buildings and grounds according to the taste and requirements of each. In the present century the Lodge was granted to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Foundation of St Catherine to which the author was appointed Director of Studies in 1982.
Two of the most colourful characters to inhabit the Lodge were ‘the redoubtable Sarah’, Duchess of Marlborough, who was given the Lodge for her lifetime and who made many improvements to house and gardens and whose husband died there; and William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland who gave his name to the house and created Virginia Water during his term as Ranger. The Duke employed the celebrated draughtsman Thomas Sandby who designed additions to the Lodge and sketched views of the Great Park, some of which the Duke chose to decorate his bedchamber.
In Victoria’s reign a great fire destroyed part of the Duke’s additions and it was after the restoration work done then that the Queen’s third daughter Princess Helena took up residence there with her family. Her husband, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was made Ranger of the Park in succession to the Prince Consort. He was the last Royal Ranger to occupy the Lodge and the final chapters of the book describe the creation and development of the Foundation and the continuing interest of the Royal Family in the work of St Catherine’s which they have done so much to promote.
Histories of buildings, however scholarly, can too often become lengthy recitals of alterations and additions to the original, which demand frequent recourse to plans and drawings to follow them, and tend to leave the reader merely confused. The history of any house is very much bound up with the history of those who have lived in it. Dr. Hudson has blended the two here with considerable skill thus ensuring the reader’s continuing interest. The book is well produced and profusely illustrated. Anyone who is interested in the history of the Great Park will find this book a very worthwhile addition to his library.
HUDSON, Helen Cumberland Lodge: A House Through History, Phillimore 1989. £15.00 192pp
ISBN 085033 688 0
Elizabeth H. Cuthbert
Windsor Local History Group 