Belton House

Acquisition of Belton House, described as a crowning achievement of Restoration country house architecture. Belton was built in 1685-88 for Sir John Brownlow whose family continued to live here for the next 300 years. The stunning interiors contain exceptionately fine plasterwork and wood-carving, as well as important collections of paintings, furniture, tapestries and silver. There are 14 hectares of formal gardens, an orangery, and a magnificent landscaped park laid out around 1720. The architect is thought to have been William Winde, though there are later alterations by Wyatt. Interior work was done to the designs of James Wyatt, carving by Grinling Gibbons and Edward Carpenter and ceilings by Edward Goudge.