Badminton House: A Multi-Million Dollar Property

how much is badminton house worth

Badminton House, a Grade I-listed country house in Gloucestershire, England, has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house, which has given its name to the sport of badminton, is set on a vast 52,000-acre estate. With such an extensive history and impressive features, how much is Badminton House worth in today's market?

Characteristics Values
Location Badminton, Gloucestershire, England
Type Large country house and Grade I Listed Building
Land Area 52,000 acres
Ownership History Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century
Notable Residents/Guests Queen Mary during World War II
Notable Events Annual Badminton Horse Trials since 1949; filming location for The Remains of the Day, 28 Days Later, Pearl Harbor, Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and The Gentlemen
Estimated Value Part of the Duke of Beaufort's £315 million fortune
Average House Price in Badminton £670,179

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The 11th Duke of Beaufort left Badminton House to his widow, Miranda, in 2017

Badminton House is a large country house and Grade I-listed building in Gloucestershire, England. It has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house is set among 52,000 acres of land, and the gardens and park surrounding it are also Grade I-listed.

The 11th Duke of Beaufort, David Robert Somerset, was an English peer and major landowner. He was an important figure in the world of fox hunting and held the office of Hereditary Keeper of Raglan Castle. He was also President of the British Horse Society and chairman of Marlborough Fine Art. The Duke ranked 581st in the Sunday Times Rich List 2008, with an estimated wealth of £135 million in land and 52,000 acres.

David Somerset was the second son of Captain Henry Robert Somers FitzRoy de Vere Somerset. He married Miranda Elisabeth Morley, daughter of Brigadier General Michael Frederick Morley, on 2 June 2000.

David Somerset passed away on 16 August 2017, leaving Badminton House to his widow, Miranda, now known as Miranda Elisabeth Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort.

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The house has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the 17th century

Badminton House is a Grade I listed country house in Gloucestershire, England, that has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house is set among 52,000 acres of land and is adjacent to the Grade I listed parish church of St Michael and All Angels, which serves as the principal burial place of the Somerset family. The Dukes of Beaufort have been masters of the Beaufort Hunt, one of the two most famous hunts in the United Kingdom, and Badminton House has been strongly associated with fox hunting.

The history of Badminton House can be traced back to the early 17th century when Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester, bought the manors of Great and Little Badminton from Nicholas Boteler in 1612. The name "Badimyncgtun" was recorded one century earlier and had been held by the family since 1275. Edward Somerset's third son, Sir Thomas Somerset, modernised the old house in the late 1620s and built a new T-shaped gabled range. He also likely constructed the present north and west fronts.

In 1682, the 3rd Marquess of Worcester was created 1st Duke of Beaufort by Charles II in recognition of the family's loyalty to the Stuart dynasty. The 1st Duke held Bristol against the Duke of Monmouth in 1685 and later, in 1688, against William of Orange. William eventually forgave him and visited Badminton in 1690. The 1st Duke was a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, the illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset. Armed with wealth and favour, the 1st Duke transformed the old, modest, gabled Elizabethan house of the Botelers.

The 3rd Duke implemented a scheme to deformalise the gardens, likely employing Charles Bridgeman. The 4th Duke brought William Kent to Badminton, originally to advise on the gardens. Kent created Worcester Lodge, a combination banqueting pavilion and entrance gate that stands three miles from the house. The 4th Duke and his duchess also commissioned a magnificent suite of furniture in the Chinoiserie taste from William Linnell of Berkeley Square, London, circa 1752. The 5th Duke built a new church adjacent to the house between 1783 and 1785, replacing an earlier medieval church.

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The house was used as a filming location for The Remains of the Day, 28 Days Later, Pearl Harbor, and Bridgerton

Badminton House, the magnificent country estate in Gloucestershire, England, has not only been a historic family home but has also graced the screens in several notable films and television series. Its grand architecture and sprawling grounds have made it a sought-after filming location, contributing to the house's fame and cultural significance.

One of the most renowned films to feature Badminton House is "The Remains of the Day." Released in 1993, the film is an adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and stars Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. In the movie, Badminton House stands in for the fictional Darlington Hall, the grand country estate where the story's butler, Stevens, played by Hopkins, spends his career in devoted service. The house's elegant interiors and stately rooms provided the perfect backdrop for the film's period setting and themes of duty and unspoken love.

The house also made an appearance in the 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film "28 Days Later." Directed by Danny Boyle, the movie offered a stark contrast to the peaceful and elegant setting usually associated with Badminton House. In the film, the house is depicted as a deserted and abandoned mansion, reflecting the desolate world ravaged by a deadly virus.

Additionally, Badminton House played a role in the 2001 epic war film "Pearl Harbor." The movie, directed by Michael Bay, used the house's grounds to film scenes set in England, showcasing the lush landscapes and historic architecture. Although the house itself may not have been as prominent in this film, its association with a major Hollywood production added to its reputation as a sought-after filming location.

More recently, Badminton House has captured the attention of a new generation of viewers as a filming location for the popular Netflix period drama "Bridgerton." Based on the novels by Julia Quinn, the series showcases the house's stunning interiors and grounds in several episodes. The house's elegant ballrooms and grand hallways provide the perfect setting for the lavish balls and social events depicted in the series, transporting viewers back to the Regency era of high society and romance.

The use of Badminton House as a filming location for these diverse and acclaimed productions attests to its beauty, versatility, and cultural significance. Each project has showcased different facets of the house, from its stately elegance to its ability to convey a sense of decay and desolation. Appearing in these films and series has undoubtedly contributed to the house's fame and cultural impact, ensuring that Badminton House remains a beloved and recognizable estate in popular culture.

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The house is set among 52,000 acres of land

Badminton House is a Grade I listed country house in Gloucestershire, England, that has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house is set among 52,000 acres of land, which includes the village of Badminton, and has been the site of the annual Badminton Horse Trials since 1949. The trials were first held in 1949, and in 1953, Badminton House was the site of the first European Championship. The house and its grounds have also been strongly associated with fox hunting, as successive Dukes of Beaufort have been masters of the Beaufort Hunt, one of the two most famous hunts in the United Kingdom.

The history of Badminton House dates back to the early 17th century when Edward Somerset, the 4th Earl of Worcester, purchased the manors of Great and Little Badminton, which were previously owned by the Boteler family. The name "Badminton" is derived from the name Madmintune recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and one century earlier, the name "Badimyncgtun" was recorded, held by the same family since 1275. The house was originally a modest, gabled Elizabethan house, which was modernised in the late 1620s by Sir Thomas Somerset, the third son of Edward Somerset. He added a new T-shaped gabled range and is thought to have built the present north and west fronts.

Over the centuries, the house has been transformed and expanded by successive Dukes of Beaufort. The 4th Duke and his duchess commissioned a suite of furniture in the Chinoiserie taste from William Linnell of London in the 1750s, which is now considered one of the earliest Chinoiserie interiors in Britain. The 5th Duke built a new church adjacent to the house between 1783 and 1785, replacing an earlier Medieval church. The church contains monuments to the first four dukes of Beaufort and features a plaster ceiling depicting fruit and flowers of the four seasons, designed by William Kent and described as "very fine" by Historic England.

The grounds of Badminton House also feature several notable structures, including the Hermit's Cell or Root House, a small square wooden building with a thatched roof, and Lower Slait Lodge, a two-storey Gothic-style building with four hexagonal corner turrets. Worcester Lodge, designed by William Kent and located three miles from the main house, is considered one of his masterpieces and serves as a combination banqueting pavilion and entrance gate. The Oak Room, added later, features Jacobean panelling and an overmantel purchased from Troy House, the ancestral home of the Somersets.

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The average house price in Badminton is £670,179

The average house price in Badminton, Gloucestershire, is £670,179. This price has decreased by 1.51% in the past 6 months. The area is known for its close association with the Dukes and Duchesses of Beaufort, who have owned the Badminton Estate since the late 17th century. The principal seat of the Dukes, Badminton House, is a Grade I Listed Building set among 52,000 acres of land. The house has been used as a filming location for productions such as The Remains of the Day, 28 Days Later, Pearl Harbor, and the Netflix series Bridgerton. The annual Badminton Horse Trials have been held at Badminton House since 1949, and the Beaufort Hunt, one of the UK's most famous hunts, is based there.

Badminton House was purchased in 1612 by Edward Somerset, the 4th Earl of Worcester, from Nicholas Boteler. The old house was modernised in the 1620s by Edward Somerset's third son, Sir Thomas Somerset, who added a new T-shaped gabled range and built up the north and west fronts. In 1682, the 3rd Marquess of Worcester was created the 1st Duke of Beaufort by Charles II, in recognition of the family's loyalty to the Stuart dynasty. The 1st Duke spent a significant sum, worth an estimated £1.9 billion in 2016, on the Royalist cause during the Civil War.

The interiors of Badminton House feature early Chinoiserie decorations, including a suite of furniture commissioned by the 4th Duke and Duchess in the 1750s, and a marble cistern with a Chinese head made in 1706. The gardens were redesigned by the 3rd Duke, likely with the help of Charles Bridgeman, and include notable features such as Worcester Lodge, the Hermit's Cell, the Chinese Temple, and Ragged Castle.

The parish church of St Michael and All Angels is located adjacent to Badminton House. Built in 1785, it serves as the principal burial place of the Somerset family, with nearly all Dukes and Duchesses of Beaufort interred there. The church contains monuments to the first four dukes of Beaufort and features a plaster ceiling depicting fruit and flowers of the four seasons.

Frequently asked questions

Badminton House is a Grade I-listed country house in Gloucestershire, England, that has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century.

While I cannot find an exact valuation for Badminton House, the 11th Duke of Beaufort, who owned the 52,000-acre Badminton Estate, died in 2017, leaving behind an estimated £315 million fortune.

Badminton House is set among 52,000 acres (21,000 hectares) of land.

Badminton House is best known for the annual Badminton Horse Trials, which have been held there since 1949. It is also strongly associated with fox hunting and has been the location for filming The Remains of the Day, 28 Days Later, Pearl Harbor, and the Netflix series Bridgerton.

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