History Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire

aerial shot of mansion , repton bridge

the stoke park estate s history dates time of domesday book. 1066, estate inherited in direct line of descent 515 years until had sold crown in 1581 pay outstanding debts of henry hastings, 3rd earl of huntingdon, father francis, commander in chief of henry viii’s army, had rebuilt manor house (part of can still seen today) in 1555.

john penn (1760–1834), soldier, scholar , poet, responsible of can seen @ estate today. used large proportion of £130,000 new united states government paid family s 26-million acre (110,000 km²) plot in pennsylvania.

the mansion designed james wyatt (architect george iii) worked on development of mansion , surrounding monuments 1790 1813. parkland product of 2 geniuses of eighteenth century landscape architecture, lancelot capability brown , humphry repton, designed in 1792 landscape can seen today.

the estate listed grade ii on register of historic parks , gardens.

the club

the estate used private residence until 1908, when nick pa lane jackson, founder of corinthian sporting club (corinthian f.c.), purchased estate , turned uk s first country club. 1 of initial objectives commission famous amateur golfer , course architect harry colt (who designed pinevalley, wentworth, sunningdale, muirfield , royal portrush) design golf course. golf course, along tennis courts , conversion of mansion, completed within 7 months.

in 1908, club’s first president highness prince albert of schleswig-holstein , first vice president right honourable earl howe. committee included lord chesterfield, lord kinnoull , lord decies.

in 1910 book, golf courses of british isles, bernard darwin wrote:

stoke park beautiful estate, , there golf played there. there plenty of things besides playing golf. may hot @ lawn tennis or keep comparatively cool @ bowls or croquet, or, coolest of all, may sit on terrace or in garden , give ourselves wholly , solely loafing. clubhouse gorgeous palace, dazzling vision of white stone, of steps , terraces , cupolas, lake in front , imposing trees in every direction.