Boughton House, 2000-08-29

View from the N., scanned from a slide. Most of what can be seen here was built between 1683 and 1709 for Ralph, 1st duke of Montagu, who had been ambassador in Paris in 1669-72 and 1678-9. Stables, with very Frenchified dome, on the left; the principal N. front, containing the 1st duke's state rooms, on the right. The pedimented gateway was originally aligned on the centre of this section, according to James Lees-Milne, English Country Houses: Baroque (1970), p.41, and was moved by the 2nd duke. Remains of terraced gardens, probably also the 1st duke's work, are visible in the right foreground. List description: list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1192643 (house); list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1372406 (stables)