The History of Baylis House

The Mansion

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 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.

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.