Trafalgar House, (also known as Trafalgar Park and Standlynch Park), Salisbury, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

In 1726, Sir Peter Vandeput, a rich city merchant and member of a Flemish family which had settled in England in the 16th century, purchased the manor of Standlynch. In 1731-4, he built a new house on the site called Standlynch House (since the 19th century known as Trafalgar House), to a design by the architect John James of Greenwich. During this period the park was replanned to a design by Charles Bridgeman (died 1738).

Four years after Vandeput's death in 1748, Standlynch House was sold to William Young. In 1766 the House was sold on to Henry Dawkins, the grandson of a wealthy Jamaican landowner. Dawkins commissioned the architect John Wood the Younger (1728-81) from Bath to add two wings to the House. Shortly after, a new portico was added to a design by the architect Nicholas Revett. Dawkins also enlarged the estate by buying some adjoining land. By 1773 (Andrews and Drury), Standlynch House was approached from the south and was surrounded by a formal park. Following Dawkins' death in 1814, the estate was sold to the Crown. After the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Parliament rewarded Admiral Nelson's nearest surviving relative, his brother William, who duly became the first Earl Nelson, with Standlynch House (from then known as Trafalgar House as required by Act of Parliament). Under the Nelson family the estate grew steadily and by 1884 included 7196 acres (roughly 2900 hectares). In 1859, the third Earl commissioned the architect William Butterfield (1814-1900) to restore Standlynch church. During this period Butterfield also added a new balustrade to the east of the House and a formal terraced garden with central steps leading to two square pools to the west. Following a fire in 1866 the south wing of the House was rebuilt.
 

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the estate fell into decline and by 1945 it had reduced in size by half. In 1948 the Duke of Leeds bought Trafalgar House, and repairs were carried out to the building. In 1953 the estate was sold to, and amalgamated with, the adjacent Longford Estate. Trafalgar House, together with part of the surrounding land, was sold off in 1961, changing hands several times over the following three decades. In 1995 Trafalgar House passed to a new owner and during a period of investment (when Trafalgar Park became the preferred name for the property), key land and woodland was re-acquired from the Longford Estate. Trafalgar House remains (2003) in private ownership.