1
William Cowper's Summer House, Olney
Summer house of the poet William Cowper, who lived in the nearby Orchard Side House, now a museum, from 1768 to 1786. Cowper described the summer house as his 'verse manufactory' and 'a refuge from all intrusion'. After his death in 1800 it became a literary shrine, visited by many admirers of his work, who signed their names on the plaster walls inside, 'something we don't encourage today', say the museum. The summer house stood in a physic garden, the herbal garden of an apothecary, a late neighbour of Cowper's. The fruiting tree to the left of the summer house is a medlar, which produces fruits which are eaten when extremely overripe and soft.
Image: © A J Paxton
Taken: 23 Sep 2020
0.03 miles
2
William Cowper's garden
Restored with 18th century plants. http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/htmlpages/gardens1.html
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.03 miles
3
William Cowper's summer house
He referred to this as his "verse manufactory". Much of his poetry, prose and hymns was written here. William Cowper and John Newton collaborated on producing Olney Hymns http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/history/newton/iss_history_newton_parsons-chap4.asp .
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.04 miles
4
The Cowper and Newton Museum (rear view)
William Cowper's house is on the left.
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.04 miles
5
Outbuilding at the old vicarage
Image: © Philip Jeffrey
Taken: 16 Aug 2012
0.05 miles
6
The Old Vicarage
John Newton http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/htmlpages/newton1.html , who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace, was curate at Olney from 1764-1780. His study was the right hand room with windows projecting from the roof.
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.05 miles
7
Silver End, Olney
Image: © Jonathan Thacker
Taken: 17 Aug 2023
0.05 miles
8
View from the churchyard of Olney Parish Church
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.05 miles
9
The Old Vicarage, Olney
Dates from the early eighteenth century https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1158059?section=official-list-entry The home of John Newton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton from 1764-80 .
Image: © Jonathan Thacker
Taken: 17 Aug 2023
0.05 miles
10
The Cowper and Newton Museum (Orchard Side)
http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/htmlpages/cowperintro.html
Image: © Robin Drayton
Taken: 13 May 2008
0.06 miles