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SYON HOUSE

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

SYON ABBEY

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Syon House, the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, was originally founded as Syon Abbey in 1430-70. Syon Abbey was a Bridgettine double house which was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539 and became a royal residence of the king. It doesn't appear that Henry carried out much work on the buildings, however Syon House did play a role during his reign. Queen Catherine Howard was confined to the house in 1541 and munitions were manufactured there as part of the war against France and Scotland. Henry's body even rested at Syon House in 1547 on its way to its burial at Windsor. After Henry's death, Syon House was remodelled by the Duke of Somerset in 1547-52. In 1594, Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, acquired Syon House and the property has remained the family's residence since then. In 1659 the house was restored and it was remodelled internally and externally by Robert Adam in 1760-5. Around 1819-26 the building was almost entirely recased and substantially altered. In 1874 the Percy Lion statue was moved from Old Northumberland House at Charing Cross and erected at Syon House.

Little remains of the abbey or of the 16th century royal residence apart from a 15th century undercroft and various sections of 16th century brick work, much of which was probably reused in the later alterations. Although the house was recased in the early 19th century it still retains its 1547-52 remodelled appearance and is three storeys high with a crenellated roof and gable turrets. The principal rooms of the house including the great hall and state dining room were reconstructed by Robert Adam in 1760-5.

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Syon Monastery was founded in 1415 and moved to the site of Syon Park in 1431. At the time of the Dissolution in 1539 it became the property of the Crown and it contained 30 acres (12.5ha) of garden and orchard within its walls. In 1547, the same year that Henry VIII died, the Duke of Somerset, Protector of the Realm, was granted the monastery and the estate. He built a new house with raised terraces, one of which was triangular. The intention of the design of the terraces was to give views out to the Thames but the plan was misconstrued and Somerset was accused of plotting against the Crown, the terrace being said to be the first step towards fortification. In 1552 he was charged with felony and executed. For a full description of the house and park please refer to this source. (1)

Syon House, former Bridgettine double house, remodelled by the Duke of Somerset in 1547-52. Henry, Earl of Northumberland spent £9,000 on the property and his successor Algernon restored the building in 1659, the date formerly on the rain-water heads, probably at this time or rather earlier the loggia was inserted on the E front. The principal rooms on the first floor were reconstructed by Robert Adam in 1760-5, for the first Duke of Northumberland. Under the third duke, circa 1819-26 the building was almost entirely recased and substantially altered and the W porch was added. The N wing also is modern".
The Lodges to the W of the house [at TQ 17147664 & TQ 17147669] are of early 17th century date and are shown on the map of 1635. [Mention is made of a large map of Isleworth hundred, dated 1635, contained in a room on the first floor of the House] They have been refaced but retain some original two light windows. An Outbuilding, N of the house, now the muniment room is an L-shaped building of 16th century brick, but its other features are modern.
To the N.W. of the house is a Stable of 16th century origin but much altered and rebuilt. A few yards to the N.W. is a long building perhaps of mediaeval origin, and of stone much rebuilt in 16th century brick, it retains a stone doorway with a four-centred head and two 16th century windows. Running E from the NE angle of this building is a rubble wall with a 16th century brick capping in it is a 16th century archway with a round head and flanked by brick buttresses". Conditon - Good. (2)

Built on remains of a Bridgettine Abbey nunnery (1430-70). Part of C15 undercroft remains. Protector Somerset reconstructed the house in 1547-52, substantially in its present shape. The house, 3-storeys with crenellated top and gable turrets, is built on a hollow square. East front ground floor loggia mid C17. Remodelled inside and out by Robert Adam 1767-5. In 1874 the Percy Lion, transferred from Old Northumberland House at Charing Cross was erected on the river front. Slight war damage, 2nd floor of North West tower rebuilt; 2 statues on columns in anteroom destroyed. Vide RCHM; p86; Country Life V, p112, XLVI, pp728, 802, 838, 874. Associated with the house; Catherine Howard 1541-2, Protector Somerset, executed 1552: John, Duke of Northumberland and Lady Jane Grey, both executed 1553; the nuns recalled from the Netherlands 1557-8; Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, involved in the Gunpowder plot; the children of Charles I; Charles II in the plague of 1665 and the Dukes of Northumberland of 1766 who still hold it. (3-4)

For a detailed description of Syon House and Park including a number of photographs please refer to this source. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

Part 17: Greater London

(2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1937 An inventory of the historical monuments in Middlesex

Nos 86a-88a, plan

(3) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Borough of Hounslow

(4) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

Page(s)272-3

(5) World Wide Web page

Syon Park. 2009. Syon Park, http://www.syonpark.co.uk/ [Accessed 18-MAY-2009]

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SYON ABBEY

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The site of the Bridgettine double house of Syon Abbey, the only Bridgettine abbey in Medieval England. The abbey belonged to the order established by...

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