Dr. Gregory Hascard, who became
the Dean of Windsor in 1684, built Baylis House in 1696. What
is open to question, however, is whether Sir Christopher Wren
or John James of Greenwich designed the house.
The original structure may not, in fact, have been designed
by either architect, but rather constructed under the direct
supervision of the owner as was often the practice during this
period.
Baylis House was built in the plain Dutch style of architecture
which flourished in England after the restoration of King Charles
II.
Over the years the building was inevitably changed by additions
and refurbishments and, as a result, evolved from a simple
family house to a work of architectural importance.
In 1726 Thomas Rowland, the Clerk of works to Windsor Castle,
added a third storey.
Between 1733 and 1735 John
James of Greenwich undoubtedly did work on Baylis
House at the request
of the second owner, Dr. Henry Godolphin, the brother
of
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1696-1708
Dr Gregory Hascard
1708-1733
Dr Henry Godolphin
1733-1911
The Osbourne Family
1911-1939
Mr Wood
1939-1990
Slough Borough Council
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Sidney Godolphin, who was created Lord
High Treasurer in the reign of Queen Anne.
It is also believed that he built the east wing stable block which
is now Godolphin Court.
With such a long history, it is inevitable that Baylis House has
been home to many eminent people. The fourth Earl of Chesterfield
was one resident and could well have written some of his famous
letters to his son during the time he lived in Baylis House.
Lord Chesterfield certainly
enjoyed a better reputation than Alexander Wedderburn, one
of his successors. A man of unbounded ambition, he had been
created first Earl of Loughborough in 1780, appointed Lord
Chancellor in 1793 and made Earl of Rosslyn in 1801.
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The last private tenant of Baylis House was Mary, Marchioness
of Thomond, the niece of Sir Joshua Reynolds and ward of Sir
Edmund Burke. The Butt family turned Baylis House into the
Roman Catholic School in 1830 and for much of its existence
was said to be "always much more than a school, it was
a centre from which, for long years, flowed charity and help
for the spiritual and corporate needs of the scattered flock
of Christ which in that neighbourhood held to the ancient fashion.
The fortunes of Baylis House slumped considerably after the
school was closed in 1907. The tenth Duke of Leeds sold it
and a subsequent owner converted it into the Food Reform Establishment.
From 1924 until 1936 it became
the Baylis House Hotel.
To save Baylis House from
property speculators, Slough Borough Council bought the house
and 16 acres of surrounding land in 1939. World war II prevented
the council from developing their new property.
A few years later, Baylis
House was listed as a Grade 1 building. This not only saved
it from demolition or other major changes, but made the the
building eligible for grants for repairs.
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