The house was built between 1779 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Townsend, a local landowner.
The Faringdon Collection is held in a charitable trust and remains one of the most important private collections in the UK.
Harold Peto, the celebrated landscape architect, redesigned the gardens in the early 20th century.
The 'Briar Rose' series by Edward Burne-Jones is displayed in the Saloon, considered one of the artist's major masterpieces.
The estate’s water gardens are fed by a series of springs that gravity-feed the sequence of lakes.
During World War II, the house was used as a maternity hospital for evacuees from London.
The mansion underwent significant restoration in the 1950s to return it to its 18th-century aesthetic after years of institutional use.
Buscot Park is an 18th-century Georgian mansion located in Oxfordshire, currently serving as the family home of the Lords Faringdon. The house contains the Faringdon Collection, a significant assembly of paintings, furniture, and ceramics, including works by Burne-Jones and Rembrandt. The estate features extensive pleasure gardens designed by Harold Peto, characterized by water features and Italianate influence. It includes a series of connected lakes known as the Four Pools, which lead toward the Thames Valley. The grounds also incorporate a walled kitchen garden and a woodland wilderness area. The estate is a working farm and private residence that opens seasonally to the public. Architectural features include a classic porticoed front and a symmetrical Palladian facade.
The view from the top of the Italianate water garden looking back toward the house.
Check the official estate calendar before traveling, as it remains a private home and is not open daily.
Wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes to navigate the transition between the formal paved gardens and the woodland paths.
Bring a camera, as photography is generally permitted in the gardens, though interior photography rules vary.
Attempting to visit during the winter months or on weekdays when the estate is closed to the public.
Open seasonally from spring through early autumn; typically closed during the winter months and on specific weekdays.
Respect private areas of the house marked as off-limits and avoid touching art objects or delicate garden masonry.
