Gothic Temple — Attraction in Stowe

designed by James Gibbs in 1741 and completed about 1748, this is the only building in the Gardens built from ironstone, all the others use a creamy-yellow limestone. The building is triangular in plan of two storeys with a pentagonal shaped tower at each corner, one of which rises two floors higher than the main building, while the other two towers have lanterns on their roofs. Above the door is a quote from Pierre Corneille's play Horace: Je rends grace aux Dieux de n'estre pas Roman (I thank the gods I am not a Roman). The interior includes a circular room of two storeys covered by a shallow dome that is painted to mimic mosaic work including shields representing the Heptarchy. Dedicated 'To the Liberty of our Ancestors'. To quote John Martin Robinson: 'to the Whigs, Saxon and Gothic were interchangeably associated with freedom and ancient English liberties: trial by jury (erroneously thought to have been founded by King Alfred at a moot on Salisbury Plain), Magna Carta, parliamentary representation, all the things which the Civil War and Glorious Revolution had protected from the wiles of Stuart would-be absolutism, and to the preservation of which Lord Cobham and his 'Patriots' were seriously devoted.' The Temple was used in the 1930s by the school as the Officer Training Corps armoury. It is now available as a holiday let through the...

I've stayed in several of the Landmark Trusts properties, but this was definitely one of the best. The building itself is awesome, it looks great from outside and does not disappoint when you enter. Spacious, clean, tidy, very welcoming and surprisingly warm. I expected this place to be very cold, but there were many heaters so the room temperature was always nice and comfortable. If you visit you must climb the stairs to the very top and look out at the awesome views across the vast grounds. The school is in the distance, but there are also many other buildings, statues and lakes to see if you go for walks across the grounds. A truly...

The Gothic Temple, also known as the Temple of Liberty, was built in 1741 by James Gibbs for Lord Cobham. It's a folly tower dedicated to "the Liberty of our Ancestors," and its Gothic style reflects a celebration of England's Anglo-Saxon heritage and Whig political ideals. The Temple is one of over 40 temples and monuments in the gardens, which were designed by Charles Bridgeman and William Kent. It was one of the last additions to the famous garden formed by Charles Bridgeman and his successor, William Kent. The designer was James Gibbs, who had, with Kent, succeeded Vanbrugh as chief...