The Palladian Presence of Basildon Park
Located west of Reading, between the villages of Upper Basildon and Lower Basildon, Basildon Park exists as a Grade I listed country house. The structure was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes, following the Palladian architectural style. Its presence is defined by a sense of order and symmetry, a characteristic shared by the stable block designed by C.R. Cockerill around 1845. This secondary structure, a Grade II listed building, features red brick with stone and blue brick decoration, topped with a slate roof and windows possessing radiating fanlights. The stable yard, enclosed by entrance walls, retains a floor of blue-black engineering brick.
The house itself underwent substantial re-making in the 1950s, yet it retains the spirit of the Victorian art collector James Morrison. The interiors have gained a certain cinematic familiarity through their use as the family's London residence in Downton Abbey. The estate extends beyond the walls of the house into gardens and wider grounds that remain open to the public.
The Morrison Legacy and the Apostles
The collection held within these walls reflects the specific interests of James Morrison, whose acquisitions included works by Poussin, Rubens, Claude, Rembrandt, Constable, and Turner. There is a particular weight to the presence of the eight apostles by Pompeo Batoni, which occupy the space with a quiet, religious gravity. These works, alongside portraits by Batoni and Mengs, speak to the era of the Grand Tour.
The collection includes various notable works that define the character of the house:
- Saint John the Evangelist, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint Paul, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint Peter, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint Matthew, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint Philip, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint James the Less, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Saint Thomas, 1741 - Pompeo Batoni
- Miss Frances Lyde Browne holding Music and a Wreath, 1777 - Pompeo Batoni
Beyond the religious figures, the collection contains diverse subjects, from the landscape of George Washington Lambert to the still life of Anne Vallayer-Coster. The presence of a Michelangelo drawing and works by Subleyras within the Brinsley Ford collection adds layers of historical depth to the rooms.
A Confluence of Art and History
The house serves as a repository for more than just paintings; it holds the traces of various eras through its drawings and caricatures. A drawing of a temporary ballroom attributed to Adam resides here, alongside works by Tiepolo. There is also a caricature of grand tourists by Patch that captures a specific social moment. The collection is not a static display but a gathering of objects that have passed through the hands of significant collectors, including the Brinsley Ford collection, which once held a superb Michelangelo drawing.
