Dorney Court (Bucks) near Eton (Berks) is seen here in this 19th century capture and is the unlikely source of the exotic pineapple here in England. For it was the first grown in this country (1665) only to be passed as a gift to King Charles II by the ‘lady of the house’, Barbara Villiers, perhaps the most influential mistress of the..ahem..spirited monarch. Indeed, she bore him 5 children and enough political opinion that she became known as the ‘Uncrowned Queen’. But back to the brickwork. This Tudor beauty, dated to the 15th century and listed Grade I, contains as many architectural secrets, including some ‘linenfold panelling’ from Faversham Abbey, the ubiquitous Ghost Room and has featured in film and television settings that include Sliding Doors, Bridgerton, Poirot and numerous Midsomer Murders. *License this image with commercial rights for just £10 #history #authors #scanned #creatives #art #drawings #architecture #people #places #TudorEngland #pineapple #buckinghamshire #dorney @dorneycourt
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