The entrance facade from "Morris's County Seats," circa 1875.
The entrance facade in the 1990s
An early 19th century pen and wash of what the 5th century BC Temple of Apollo at Delos, which the entrance portico at Trafalgar was modeled on, is believed to have looked like. This image is in the public domain.
The garden facade
Earlier Houses: There was at least one earlier house on, or near, the site of the current house.
Built / Designed For: Sir Peter Vandeput
House & Family History: Because Sir Peter Vandeput's sister was married to Roger Morris, it was once believed that Morris designed Trafalgar Park. The entrance portico, designed by Nicholas Revett, is one of the earliest uses in England of a Greek order. The 14 Greek Doric columns were modeled on the Temple of Apollo on Delos (aka the Temple of the Delians; see "Images" section). In 1766, on the walls of what is today the music room, the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Cipriani painted murals that symbolize the arts. In 1930 the 4th Earl Nelson purchased paneling and pilasters from the captain's cabin of HMS "Ganges" (built in 1821) and installed it in one of the rooms on the top floor of Trafalgar Park as the Ganges Room. In 1814 the Standlynch Park Estate was purchased by Parliament for £90,000 (approximately £72 million in 2020 values using the labour value commodity index), renamed Trafalgar Park, and given to the family of Admiral Horatio Nelson as a reward for his naval victories over Napoleonic France. The Nelson family sold the estate in 1948, after their perpetual Treasury pension was canceled by the government. Trafalgar Park went through a number of owners until its 1995 purchase by Michael Wade, who restored the house to its former glory. Mr. Wade listed Trafalgar for sale for £12 million in 2016; in 2021 it was listed for sale at £11 million.
Garden & Outbuildings: In 1884 the Trafalgar Estate spanned 7,200 acres; by the 1950s only 10 acres of land surrounded the house. In the late 20th century the south stableblock was converted into offices.
Architect: John Wood the Younger
Date: 1766Architect: Nicholas Revett
Date: 1760sVitruvius Britannicus: C. V, pls. 78-81, 1771.
Country Life: Jul 13 & 20, 1945. Feb 13,1986 article by Sally Jeffery. Apr 3 & 10, 1997.
Title: Buildings of England: Wiltshire, The
Author: Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget
Year Published: 1999
Reference: pgs. 529-530
Publisher: London: Penguin Books
ISBN: 0140710264
Book Type: Hardback
Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - HARDBACK
Author: Colvin, Howard
Year Published: 2008
Reference: pg. 568
Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300125085
Book Type: Hardback
Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - SOFTBACK
Author: Colvin, Howard
Year Published: 1995
Reference: pg. 539
Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300072074
Book Type: Softback
Title: Georgian: The Magazine of the Georgian Group, The
Author: NA
Year Published: NA
Reference: January 1999, pg. 15
Publisher: London: The Georgian Group
ISBN: NA
Book Type: Magazine
Title: Historic Houses (magazine)
Author: NA
Year Published: NA
Reference: Spring 1999, pg. 51
Publisher: London: Historic Houses Association
ISBN: 0260-8707
Book Type: Magazine
House Listed: Grade I
Park Listed: Grade II
Current Seat / Home of: Michael Wade; here since 1995.
Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSES: Beauchamp family, 16th century. Greene family, 17th century. Buckland family, 17th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Sir Peter Vandeput, 1732-48; George Vandeput, 1748-52. Sir William Young, 1752-65. Henry Dawkins, 1765-1814. William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson and 2nd Duke of Bronte, 1814-35; Thomas Nelson, 2nd Earl Nelson, 1835; Horatio Nelson, 3rd Earl Nelson, 1835-1913; Thomas Horatio Nelson, 4th Earl Nelson, 1913-47; Edward Agar Horatio Nelson, 5th Earl Nelson, 1947-48. John Francis Godolphin Osborne, 11th Duke of Leeds, 1948-53. Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos, 1953-71. Jeremy Pinckney, 1971-78. Tertius Murray Thriepland, 1978-92. Gunnar Bengtsson, 1992-95.
Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust
Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home
House Open to Public: No
Phone: 01722-711-334
Historic Houses Member: No