Gothic Ruin, Frogmore

The Gothic Ruin is located at Frogmore, in the Home Park of Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. Designed by James Wyatt in the late 18th century, the structure is a folly, comprising a summer house enveloped in the trappings of a Gothic ruin. It is a Grade II* listed structure.

History
Frogmore House and its estate were bought by George III for his wife Queen Charlotte in 1792, although the land had formed part of the Windsor royal hunting ground since the reign of Henry VIII. Charlotte engaged James Wyatt to redesign the house and sought the advice of her Vice-Chamberlain, William Price, regarding the redevelopment of the grounds. Price's brother Uvedale, an early exponent of the Picturesque, clearly influenced the design.

The Gothic Ruin was designed by James Wyatt, reportedly in collaboration with Princess Elizabeth, the seventh child of George and Queen Charlotte. Elizabeth was a talented amateur artist. A pencil sketch of the ruins of 1831 by William Alfred Delamotte, formerly in a collection of drawings of the Frogmore Estate put together by Elizabeth, was returned to the Royal Collection in 1984.

In 1840, Frogmore was inherited by the Duchess of Kent and, following her death in 1861, by her daughter, Queen Victoria. The estate became a favoured, almost sacred, retreat; after burying her mother in a mausoleum overlooking the lake, the Queen commissioned another, the Royal Mausoleum, for her husband Albert, Prince Consort and for herself, after Albert's death in 1861.

During her long widowhood, when she rarely visited London, Victoria spent much of her time at Windsor and at Frogmore. She undertook further building work in the gardens, employing Samuel Sanders Teulon to construct a teahouse, and had the Indian Kiosk installed. Victoria also engaged Thomas Willement to redecorate the Gothic Ruin. Victoria used the ruin as an outdoor breakfast room in the warmer summer months.

Description
The Gothic Ruin is a single-storey building clad in castellated battlements to give the appearance of the ruin of a much older structure. It is an early example of the Gothic Revival style. The exact date of construction is uncertain; the Historic England listing suggests the 1790s, and other sources ascribe it to the very late 18th century. The Gothic Ruin is a Grade II* listed building.

Public access
Frogmore Gardens are opened to the public on a limited number of days each year, under the National Garden Scheme.