The country estate of Voorstonden in Brummen was once used by rich families from the surrounding cities and towns as a summer retreat. The old manor house was renovated extensively in 1825, resulting in the white-rendered house that can be seen today. Whilst the house was renovated, the grounds were transformed into an English-style park according to the designs of landscape architect Jan David Zocher.
Country Estates
Between 1600 and 1900, well-to-do families from the central and western areas of the Netherlands built country estates in the surrounding countryside, to avoid the stench, hustle and bustle, and unhealthy epidemics in the towns and cities. The stately country house was the result, which became inseparably surrounded by magnificent gardens. The lords of the manor often built farms on their estates which they would let to tenants who in turn, could work the land and grow fruit and vegetables.
Manor Houses
This trend also became popular in the north, east and south of the Netherlands, where rather than building country houses, they transformed existing fortifications such as castles and manor houses into country estates. Originally, a manor house would have been the name given to a fortified farm that had its own land. Yet in the 17th century, the manor house became something for the nobility. There was no way of becoming a member of a knighthood if you did not have a manor house of this kind to your name.The house at Voorstonden has been known as such a manor house since 1600 when it belonged to Gijsbert van Wisch tot Voorstonden. The house later became part of the estate of the noble Schimmelpenninck van der Oye family through his daughter Anna (†1656).
Zocher
The park surrounding the house was designed by the famous landscape architect Jan David Zocher jr. Zocher designed the park in a typically English garden style.Up until 1800, French garden design had been fashionable, with formal, straight lines, a lot of symmetry and statues. The English garden on the other hand, was more park-like. The romantic landscapes were often given unexpected aspects often achieved by laying grass lawns on undulating terrain contrasted by groups of trees dotted here and there. The country estate of Voorstonden is a lovely example of this style of garden design.
