Sir John Soane (1753–1837) is one of the most original neoclassical architects, ranked alongside Nicholas Hawsmoor and Alexander “Greek” Thomson. Moggerhanger House, designed between 1790 and 1793 for Godfrey Thornton, the director of the Bank of England is one of the very few examples of Soane’s mature country houses to survive. (...)
Sir John Soane (1753–1837) is one of the most original neoclassical architects, ranked alongside Nicholas Hawsmoor and Alexander “Greek” Thomson. Moggerhanger House, designed between 1790 and 1793 for Godfrey Thornton, the director of the Bank of England is one of the very few examples of Soane’s mature country houses to survive. The interiors illustrate the subtlety of Soane’s work and are a significant example of his domestic design. The architecture of the house itself contains the seeds of many of Soane’s public works, and reflects his achievements on a scale that is both accessible and pleasing to all who visit. The Eating Room of Moggerhanger House, as in many of Soane’s houses, is the grandest room, and at Moggerhanger it is a masterly and original design.
In the early 20th century, Moggerhanger became the County Sanitorium and remained a hospital until 1987, leaving it a shadow of Soane’s original vision.
