Mounton House: The Birth and Rebirth of an Edwardian Country Home

Henry Avray Tipping's ambitious project, Mounton, was a new country house and garden designed without limitations of expense. However, the Great War started, and the world of English country-house living changed irrevocably, so Tipping never saw his hopes for the house come to fruition. This book details the design and building of the home, as well as a rich and evocative portrait of Tipping and his friends. The grand layout of the gardens included a 24-pillar pergola, terraces overlooking the Severn estuary, a two-storey tea house, a rock garden, and innovative water gardens. Mounton was neglected and overgrown, but a hundred years after Tipping completed it, a loving work of restoration of house and gardens was launched. The final two chapters reveal the careful adaptation of the interiors and the spectacular remaking of the gardens by Arne Maynard.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2022
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd

Henry Avray Tipping, the influential architectural editor of Country Life, envisioned a remarkable project: Mounton, a new country house and garden, designed without limitations of expense to embody his immense knowledge of history, architecture, and horticulture. The goal was to create an awe-inspiring masterpiece that would impress a distinguished social circle. However, fate had other plans. Just weeks after the completion of Mounton, the Great War commenced, forever altering the world of English country-house living. Tipping's dreams of seeing his vision come to fruition were dashed.

Featuring a wealth of previously unseen material, including correspondence, articles, and illustrations, this book delves into the intricate details of the design and construction of the home H. Avray Tipping created with the assistance of the young Chepstow architect Eric Carwardine Francis. It provides a rich and evocative portrait of Tipping and his friends, showcasing visits from notable figures such as Lloyd George and Tipping's gardening colleagues, including Harold Peto, Gertrude Jekyll, and William Robinson.

The grand layout of the Mounton gardens, perched atop a limestone gorge, encompassed a 24-pillar pergola, terraced gardens overlooking the Severn estuary, a two-storey tea house, a rock garden, and remarkable and innovative water gardens. Over time, the house fell into neglect, and the magnificent gardens became overgrown. Mounton could have easily been demolished, but a hundred years after Tipping's completion, a passionate restoration project was launched.

The final two chapters unveil the meticulous adaptation of the interiors of Mounton House and the spectacular remaking of the gardens by the renowned garden designer Arne Maynard. These chapters are accompanied by detailed plans and striking new photography, capturing the essence of this remarkable story.

Mounton House stands as a testament to the creation, destruction, and regeneration of a grand estate. It is a story of vision, resilience, and the enduring beauty of nature. Through the meticulous restoration efforts, Mounton has been brought back to life, preserving its heritage for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

Weight: 1618g
Dimension: 250 x 304 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781848225787