Stratfield Saye House
Stratfield Saye House, at Stratfield Saye on the border of
Hampshire and
Berkshire in
England, has been the home of the
Dukes of Wellington since
1817.
The main part of the house was built around
1630 by Sir
William Pitt,
Comptroller of the Household to
King James I.
Extensive alterations were carried out to the house and park in the 18th century, by
George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers.
The house became the property of the Wellesley family in
1817, when it was purchased by
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. He originally planned to demolish it, and replace it with a more prestigious home, to be known as Waterloo Palace. The Duke abandoned these plans in
1821 when they proved to be too expensive, and subsequently made numerous additions and improvements to the existing building.
The stables building now contains the Wellington Exhibition, which depicts the life and times of the 1st Duke. It houses a large collection of military mementoes, and the Duke's magnificent, cast bronze funeral carriage, made from melted-down French cannons captured at the
Battle of Waterloo.
Strathfield, in
New South Wales,
Australia, was named after this house.
*
Apsley House - the Duke of Wellington's London house
* Official
Stratfield Saye House website
