Ever wonder how a grand estate transforms into what we see today? We are standing before High Canons. It holds centuries of stories within its grounds.
High Canons, in the early 1700s, was the heart of a Duke of Chandos’ estate. His palace, though short-lived, was rebuilt on a smaller scale in the 1750s. It is now part of the North London Collegiate School.
Let’s journey back to Roman times. Tile making was a key activity here. This area produced official tiles for the provincial procurator’s office in London. Imagine up to 26 Roman potters working here. They crafted mortaria, flagons, and even central heating elements. St Lawrence Whitchurch incorporates Roman tiles into its medieval tower.
In medieval times, Stanmore was mostly wood and pasture. Manor houses existed here. The Augustine Canons of St Barthomolew owned the land. The stone tower of St Lawrence’s Church remains from this era.
Sir Hugh Losse acquired the estate in 1544. He built a house but its location remains a mystery. The Lake family later owned part of the estate. The first Duke of Chandos acquired their mansion in 1713.
Before the Duke, there was no significant landscape at High Canons. The Duke developed the Lake’s mansion with a grand park and garden around 1720. However, the house was dismantled around 1747. Valuable pieces were sold off. A more modest mansion was rebuilt by Hallett, a cabinetmaker.
The new house changed hands repeatedly in the 1900s. The North London Collegiate School purchased the house. The Council acquired the remaining land, creating the public park we enjoy today. The George V Memorial Gardens were laid out during the late 1930s.
Today, many original features of High Canons remain. They retain the historic framework of the Duke’s Park. They link us to the past.
The Temple, once part of a glass Palm House, still stands. The Walled Compound, once the Duke’s melon ground, is also here. Whitchurch Avenue marks the road to church. Stanmore Avenue frames views of Belmont.
The Pleasure Grounds surround the Temple. The Kitchen Garden included the Duke’s melon ground and fruit trees. The Memorial Garden walls are as old as the Walled Compound.
Features outside Canons Park also hold history. Edgware Avenue, now Canons Drive, has gateposts erected by the Duke in the 1700s. Lake Grove Recreation Ground was part of the Duke’s parkland.
The North London Collegiate School holds the remains of the Duke’s formal pleasure gardens. St Lawrence Whitchurch was rebuilt by the Duke. Handel played the church organ.
James Brydges, the first Duke of Chandos, built his palace at High Canons. He decorated it lavishly. He hired the best musicians. Exotic birds and even a tiger roamed the grounds.
Hallett, the cabinetmaker, built the present smaller house around 1750. Dennis O’Kelly, who owned the estate around 1800, owned a famous racehorse named Eclipse. Sir Thomas Plummer, the solicitor general, bought the estate in 1811.
Sir Arthur du Cros, who founded the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, bought the place outright in 1911. George Cross, a property developer, constructed the Canons Park Estate.
Handel became the Duke’s Chapel Master in 1718. He wrote much music for the Duke. Pepusch was also a composer and organist for the Duke. Alexander Blackwell, Tilleman Bobart, and Dr Richard Bradley were garden designers. Desagulier worked on the water features. Grinling Gibbons did stone carving in the Duke’s mausoleum. James Gibbs and John James were architects. William Kent was an interior decorator. Thomas Knowlton was head gardener.
Alexander Pope wrote about the Duke’s flamboyant gardens. Daniel Defoe called Canons the most magnificent mansion in England. Sir Matthew Decker consulted with Brydges about the gardens.
High Canons has evolved through Roman times to a grand estate. It has transformed into a school and public park. Its layers of history are waiting to be discovered.