View of the Riding House and the Entrance to the Stables, Windsor Castle

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

This hand-coloured engraving was Plate XIX of volume I of the publication ‘Illustrations of Windsor Castle by Sir Jeffry Wyatville’, published in 1841. The text accompanying the plate indicates the status of the stables at Windsor Castle:

‘The Stables are placed behind a mount formed of the rubbish which accumulated during the improvements, it is intended that no part of them should be visible from the Castle, but the end of the Riding House and the Entrance. The remainder will be hidden by the mound and plantation.’

George IV decided to make major improvements to the appearance, comfort and practicality of living arrangements at Windsor Castle, following his accession in 1820. In 1824 Wyatville’s designs were selected and the architect began work. The programme of work included the creation of new state rooms, a 250 feet long gallery for the display of works of art from the Royal Collection and new interiors throughout, to suit the tastes of the King. Wyatville designed picturesque views from gateways, added towers and bays to buildings and raised the height of the Round Tower. His last contribution, made after Victoria succeeded to the throne, was to design the royal stable and riding-house.

Frederick Mackenzie trained as a pupil of architect John Adey Repton. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy at 16 and soon afterwards began working for antiquary and topographer John Britton, illustrating Britton’s publications. From 1813, he exhibited his work at the Society of Painters in Watercolours, showing 97 paintings there in total. His early exhibits were almost exclusively views of Oxford and Cambridge Colleges, while later exhibits were mainly English churches and cathedrals. He was elected a member of the Society in 1823 and served as its Treasurer from 1831. He also continued to illustrate books, three of which he published. In his 50s he married Mary Hine, a widow. He died at their home, near Regent’s Park, aged about 65.

Places

England, Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Subjects

carriage, topography, Victorian Genre, tree, horse, man, woman, path, garden, lawn, stable, castle, church, tower

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

Frederick Mackenzie (1787 - 1854)
T Goodman

Title

View of the Riding House and the Entrance to the Stables, Windsor Castle

Date

Medium

Coloured engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from the Parker Gallery, March 1958

GAC number

4589