Blaise Castle is an 18th century mansion house and estate near
Henbury in
Bristol (formerly in
Gloucestershire),
England. Blaise Castle was immortalised by being described as "
the finest place in England" in
Jane Austen's novel
Northanger Abbey.
Early history
Flint fragments show Blaise Castle Estate was probably first inhabited by
Neolithic farmers. There is more definitive evidence for
Bronze Age,
Iron Age and
Roman activity through the distinctive hill-forts in the area and other archaeological finds. The value of this historic landscape was recognised when it became a
Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1982.
After the
Anglo-Saxon invasion and subsequent conversion to Christianity, the land was granted to the
Bishop of Worcester as part of the
Kingdom of Mercia. During this time the estate picked up its association with
Saint Blaise that lives on in the estate's name.
Blaise Castle House
John Harford, a wealthy
Bristol merchant and banker had Blaise Castle House built in 1796–1798, designed by
William Paty. It is a grade II*
listed building.
John Nash added a conservatory c. 1805-6, and in 1832-3,
C.R. Cockerell designed the Picture Room, now housing a fine display of paintings from
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. Harford also had
Blaise Hamlet built to house his servants and tenants, to designs of Nash and
George Repton in 1811.
A branch of the
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery since 1949, Blaise...
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