Ampthill Park

About

Ampthill Park and Ampthill Park House is a country estate in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England. The park was opened to the public after the Second World War. From the 14th century, Ampthill Park was a royal lodge and hunting park.

In the 15th century, it was occupied by Sir John Cornwall, who had married the king's sister, Elizabeth of Lancaster, Duchess of Exeter. Sir John amassed a large fortune and constructed Ampthill Castle, a fortified house. After his death Ampthill Park passed to Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent before becoming royal property again.

Henry VIII used it for hunting and to hold Katherine of Aragon during the annulment of their marriage. By 1600 the castle was ruinous. Plans made in 1605 to rebuild the palace with parallel lodgings for James VI and I and Anne of Denmark were abandoned.

The architect John Thorpe was involved in the project. In 1661 the park was given by Charles II to John Ashburnham, a Royalist supporter. The present house was built from 1687 to 1689 by architect Robert Grumbold for the Ossory family who held the estate under lease.

In the late 1700s, the house was remodelled by Sir William Chambers and the grounds landscaped by Capability Brown.