Maps
Private Club, left bank opposite regatta finish
Phyllis Court © Copyright
Colin Bates
and licenced for reuse under this
Creative Commons Licence
1616: Phyllis Court was bought by Sir James Whitelock
The Story of the Thames, J E Vincent -
Fashionable Henley before the Regatta
Henley, long before the days of the Regatta ... was a real centre of fashion.
The Henley Balls, five or six of them to a season, were events of social importance.
Then in December 1776 there was a gala week at Phyllis Court, tenanted by Lady Grandison,
whose son Lord Villiers, with Lady Villiers, was staying with her and had organised a play.
Three nights the play was performed, the 'famous Monsieur Tessier' playing Pygmalion.
After two of the performances Lord Villiers was to give supper and a ball at Henley;
after the third there was to be a ball at the Freemans', Fawley Court.
[ Mrs Powys at Fawley Rectory wrote - ]
"I'll set down those I knew to be there ... though there were numbers of fine men behind,
whose faces I was not acquainted with. The Duke of Argyll, Lord Frederick Cavendish,
Count Brule, the Lords Tyrconnel, Beauchamp, Harrowby, Sefton, Rivers, Camden,
Macclesfield, Barrymore, Parker, General Conway (of Park Place), etc. ...
Ladies Grandison, Aylesbury, Egremont, Hertford, Macclesfield, Villiers, Dowager Tyrconnell,
Sefton, Powis, Harrowby ...".
1826: The Henley Guide Full text and prints -
Phyllis Court, the old manor house, stood near the Thames, to the north of the town. About forty years ago [c.1786], it was pulled down, with the exception of a small portion which still remains. A fine terrace walk by the margin of the stream, the bowling green, fish pond, &c. attest its former magnificence; and, though in the formal style of antique gardening, are very picturesque. The situation is beautiful, and the view of the Thames is such as can seldom be equalled, commanding one of the noblest reaches in the whole extent of the river.
1837: The present house was built
1881: George Leslie –
The lawn in front of Phillis Court is
generally filled with plenty of spectators; … this is especially the place for
local fashion. Here ladies and gentlemen promenade up and down, or sit beneath
the shade of the noble chestnut trees; they do not as a rule, care or know much
about the racing itself and even if they did, the situation is a little too
much in the rear to see the contending boats well, as they go by.
The attractions of the
place are its exclusive character, and the freedom there is of moving about in
the shade, and meeting one’s friends. This pretty river terrace, with its
trees, and the stately ladies and gentlemen, forms an agreeable contrast to the
general omnium gatherum, giving a tone and dignity to the gay surroundings. Several
picnic parties, to which permission has been granted, may be seen under the elm
trees by the fishpond. …
Phyllis Court, Henry Taunt -
Phyllis Court, Henry Taunt
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT13343
(Upstream to Henley Slipway)
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
//Rose Revived
Newbridge
//Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS