Tyntesfield

The land on which the house and its estate were developed was originally part of the Tynte family estate. The family had lived in the area since the 1500s, but their primary residence was Halswell House in Goathurst, near Bridgwater. By the late 1700s, John Tynte owned what is now the Tyntesfield estate; at that time the house was approached by an avenue of elm trees, planted after they were bequeathed in the 1678 will of Sir Charles Harbord (1596–1679) to the people of Wraxall in memory of two boys he had apprenticed from the village. The Tyntes had originally lived on the estate, but by the early 1800s, John had made Chelvey Court in Brockley his principal residence. Tyntes Place was…

The house is built of two types of Bath stone, and is highly picturesque, bristling with turrets and possessing an elaborate roof. The combined effect of the architecture and chosen materials has been described by journalist Sir Simon Jenkins as "severe". The house, which includes the servants' wing and the chapel, was made a Grade II* listed building in 1973, and has since been upgraded to Grade I. The front (facing east over the gardens towards Backwell Hill) and north (entrance courtyard) are faced in one shade of ochreous Bath Stone, Norton topped the design with an irregular roof, its various pitches and gables emphasising the building's asymmetrical architecture. The result was…

In 2002, after its purchase by the National Trust but before its opening to the public, the house and its contents were explored in the Oxford Films documentary, The Lost World of Tyntesfield, hosted by art historian Dan Cruickshank. The house was featured in the 2017 film Crooked House, an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel of the same name starring Glenn Close, Terence Stamp, Max Irons and Christina Hendricks. It also featured in the BBC television series Sherlock in the episode "The Abominable Bride" and Doctor Who in the episode "Hide".