Pythouse


Pythouse, sometimes spelled Pyt House and pronounced pit-house, is a country house in southwest Wiltshire, in the west of England. It is about west of the village of Tisbury.
Described as a "fine classical house", Pythouse is set in parkland with a ha-ha. With its Ionic portico, the front elevation probably inspired the design of Philipps House at nearby Dinton, which was begun a little later in 1813 and designed by Sir Jeffry Wyatville. Leigh Court in Somerset was later built to the plans used for Pythouse.
The land of the existing building was given to the Pyt family in around 1225 by the abbess of Shaftesbury. The Pyts, then lived continuously on the estate until around 1651. They were forced to sell in order to pay fines levied against them by Parliament following the Civil War, as the Bennetts had fought for the Royalists.
The house was then bought by the Grove family, who were close friends of the Pyts. They sold it to the Benett family, who were related to the original Bennetts by marriage, in around 1707.
The current Pythouse was built about 1725 and was rebuilt in 1805 by John Benett, the then-owner and amateur architect, who "Palladianized" the house with the help of architect Thomas Hopper. Rear service wings were added in 1891.
The house remained in the Benett family until the mid-1950s, when death duties forced its sale. The house was then owned for 46 years by the Country Houses Association, a charity which ran it as a retirement home.
In 1966 the house was designated as Grade II* listed and in 1990 the small chapel in the grounds, built around 1827 by John Benett, received the same designation.
Pythouse was sold again in 2004 for £7 million and is once more a residential home.