House & Family History: Waldershare is a nine-bay brick Queen Anne house built for Sir Henry Furnese, who purchased the Estate in 1705 and who died in 1712. Sir Henry's architect is unknown, though Talman could have done the Garden Façade, with its giant Corinthian pilasters and attic story above the entablature. In 1913 the House was gutted and refitted by Reginald Blomfield, who inserted higher roofs and larger chimneystacks.

Collections: Pompeo Batoni's "Frederick, Lord North" was sold to the National Portrait Gallery, London. By 1728 Sir Robert Furnese, 2nd Bt. (died 1733), owned Andrea Sacchi's "Apollo Crowning the Musician Marcantonio Pasqualini," which was once owned by Pope Clement IX. The painting remained at Sir Robert's seat, Waldershare, until it passed to his cousin, Henry Furnese (Lord of the Treasury, died 1756), at Gunnersbury House. After Henry's death in 1756 the painting was purchased by the 1st Earl Spencer (1734-83), who hung it in the Great Room at Spencer House (the painting was sold by the New York City dealers Wildenstein & Co. in 1981 for £270,000 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art). Lord Spencer used Guido Reni's "Liberality and Modesty" (which had a frame designed by James "Athenian" Stuart) as a pendant painting for the Sacchi. The Reni was also purchased by the 1st Lord Spencer from Henry Furnese's estate and remained in the Spencer collection until 1979, when it was sold by the 8th Earl Spencer to Wildenstein & Co., from whom it was purchased by the American collector Peter Sharp; after Sharp's death Sotheby's sold the Reni in New York on January 13, 1994 for $618,500.

Garden & Outbuildings: The brick Stables are extant, as is a very large Palladian Belvedere erected by Sir Robert Furnese. The Belvedere was built 1725-27 at a cost of £1,703 and is a double cube of plum-colored brick embellished with carved Portland stone.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II

Past Seat / Home of: Sir Henry Furnese, 1st Bt., 18th century; Sir Robert Furnese, 2nd Bt., 18th century. Edward Francis North, 9th Earl of Guilford, until circa 1977.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Flats / Multi Family

Ownership Details: House has been let on a long term lease as flats.

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No