Longleat House

It is clear from the details that Smythson had access to information about classical architecture. John Shute had published his "Chiefe Grounders of Architecture" in 1563 in English, following Vignola's " Rule of the Five Orders" in 1562. Altogether the decade from 1560 to 1570 saw the publication of at least five important works on the orders of classical architecture, mostly in France and the Low Countries. John Shute visited Italy in 1550, and his subsequently published book was of major importance in laying the foundations for Renassance architecture in England. Nevertheless, it was Robert Smythson's Longleat House that was the accomplished starting point. The house is notable for strong horizontals, but the windows overpower these lines. What saves it from monotony are the strong projecting bays. There are no gables and it would seem that there never were any. The projecting towers at each of the four corners have ornamentation that is overdone in imitation of Dutch models.