| Ascott | |
|---|---|
 Ascott House | |
  Ascott Location withinBuckinghamshire | |
| OS grid reference | SP8922 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEIGHTON BUZZARD |
| Postcode district | LU7 |
| Dialling code | 01525 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
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Ascott is ahamlet andcountry house in theparish ofWing,Buckinghamshire, England.[1][2] The hamlet lies completely within the boundary of the Ascott Estate; it is home to many of the estate and house staff.
Prior to theNorman Conquest there was anabbey at Ascott, that had been given by a royal to aBenedictineconvent in Angiers. In 1415 however, the same year as theBattle of Agincourt, the convent was seized by the English church because it belonged to theFrench and awarded to the Convent of St Mary du Pre, nearSt Albans.
In the early 16th century the abbey (along with themanor of Wing) was seized bythe Crown and given toCardinal Wolsey, however not long after it was seized once again in theDissolution of the Monasteries and given to Robert Dormer. In 1554William Dormer entertainedPrincess Elizabeth at the house, when she was on the road toLondon under arrest as aProtestant because her sisterMary had just taken the throne.[3]Anne of Denmark visited in 1612, andJames VI and I was entertained at Ascott by Anne, Lady Dormer, in 1620.[4]
The former abbey, now a house, once featured additions that were attributed toInigo Jones. The house fell into decay following the death without heirs ofCharles Dormer, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon in 1709. In 1727 the house and estate were broken up, the deer sold and all the timber cut down and sold off. In the late 19th century members of theRothschild banking family began to acquire estates in the area, including Ascott. In 1873 a farm house in the parish known as Ascott Hall was bought byBaron Mayer de Rothschild he gave it to his nephewLeopold de Rothschild who employed the architectGeorge Devey to enlarge the property into a substantial country house. Today this is theNational Trust property known asAscott House or sometimes known more simply as just "Ascott".
