Wycombe Abbey (Parts Of Wycombe Abbey School)

Wycombe Abbey, which is part of Wycombe Abbey School, was originally known as Loakes Manor and likely dates from the early 17th century. It was enlarged around 1755-1759 by Henry Keene for Lord Shelburne. In 1798, it was purchased by Robert Smith, the first Lord Carrington, a politician. The building was renamed Wycombe Abbey and remodeled in a Gothic style by James Wyatt around 1804, with further enlargements. The hall, now called Big School, was added in 1891. Shortly after this, the house and grounds were sold and transformed into a girls' public school. The structure features ashlar with flint garretting and battlements. The north entrance front has a central doorway within an arched stone porch, with narrow pointed arched windows on either side that illuminate a two-storey hall with a balcony and a hammer beam roof, along with a pointed arched corridor on the east side. The remainder of the extension is similar, with a main symmetrical garden front on the east. There are extensive modern additions, mainly unlisted, on the west side. The hall on the southwest incorporates a mid-18th century pew from All Saints Church, originally made for John Lord Shelburne. The important park surrounding the building is landscaped with impressive banks of trees.