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Broadlands Estate, Romsey.
The original manor, and area known as Broadlands, has belonged to Romsey Abbey since before the time of the Norman Conquest. Ater the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Broadlands was sold to Sir Francis Fleming in 1547. His daughter married Edward St.Barbe, and the manor remained the property of the St.Barbe family for the next 117 years. Many improvements were made to the Manor, by Sir John St.Barbe, before it was left to his cousin, Humphrey Sydenham, in 1723. When Sydenham was ruined by the South Sea Bubble, he proceeded to sell Broadlands to Henry Temple the 1st Viscount Palmerston in 1736. It was 1st Viscount Palmerston who began the deformalisation of the gardens between the river and the house and produced the 'gentle descent to the river'.
In 1767 a major architectural 'transformation' was begun which has lead to making Broadlands the elegant Palladian mansion we see today began.
The 2nd Viscount Palmerston, requested that the famous 18th century architect and landscape designer, Lancelot 'Capability' Brown came here and seized upon the 'capabilities' of the earlier Tudor and Jacobean manor house. Between 1767 to 1780, William Kent's earlier 'deformalising work' was completed, as well as further landscaping, planting, clearing and riverside work.
Currently occupied by Lord Romsey, the grandson of Lord Mountbatten
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