Isleworth - an aristocratic enclave

Taking you now into the sumptuous world of 16th and 17th century Isleworth under the aristocracy!

First rising to prominence under Henry VIII's favored courtier the Duke of Somerset, Syon House symbolises the era. Built on land seised from Syon Abbey monastery, the palatial manor house in ornate Renaissance style announced Isleworth as an enclave for the nobility.

Syon became a crown possession once more when scandal toppled Somerset. Elizabeth I bestowed it upon the Earl of Northumberland in the late 1500s. The Percys transformed Syon House into an Italianate villa with classical symmetry and artistry that awed visitors for centuries after.

The baroque Great Hall with impressive ceiling frescoes dates from the 17th century. Exquisite formal gardens like the South Parterre were laid out in French and Dutch style - all designed to dazzle aristocratic guests and envy rival courtiers! Visionary redesigns turned Syon House into an architectural gem at the pinnacle of prestige and taste.

With lavish homes arising along the Thames too, Isleworth became a playground for the nobility. Its fertile soils fed produce into royal kitchens. Promenades and coach rides connected high society inhabitants to Hampton Court Palace and Kensington in easy leisurely fashion.

The dashing court boulevardiers, bejeweled ladies and wigged gentlemen who livened up Isleworth's avenues may be long gone - but their magnificent architectural legacy and tales of intrigue endure!