Companion Homepage: Claudius Buchanan, John Claudius Loudon, Jane Wells Webb > Joseph Paxton's Great Stove: The Largest Glasshouse of Its Time

Joseph Paxton’s Great Stove at Chatsworth

‘Had it been modelled on the small glass dome in Porchester Terrace, it would have outshone Mr Paxton’s Great Stove at Chatsworth. Pinching pennies is a bad policy, especially when providing for the public.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

The Great Stove at Chatsworth was designed by Paxton and inspired by Loudon

Exploring Joseph Paxton's Great Stove: A Marvel of 19th-Century landscape and architecture

The great glass and iron structure was also known as the Great Conservatory. It was designed and built, by Joseph Paxton, between 1836 and1840. The glasshouse used cast iron columns and beams with laminated wooden arches. It was 227 feet long, 123 feet wide, and 67 feet high, making it the largest glass building in the world at that time. The heating system featured eight boilers and seven miles of iron piping. Paxton used the ridge and furrow glazing system that John Claudius Loudon had invented. The Great Stove was demolished in 1920.

The Engineering Marvels of Paxton’s Great Stove

Joseph Paxton’s Great Stove, also known as the Great Conservatory, was an engineering marvel of the 19th century. Constructed between 1836 and 1840, this massive glasshouse held the title of the largest glass building in the world during its time. It spanned 227 feet in length, 123 feet in width, and reached a height of 67 feet. Paxton employed innovative use of materials, combining cast iron columns and beams with laminated wooden arches to support the expansive glass roof. The heating system was particularly advanced, featuring eight boilers and seven miles of iron piping to maintain a stable temperature, essential for the diverse plant collection it housed. The ridge and furrow glazing system, developed by John Claudius Loudon, ensured optimal light distribution throughout the structure. Despite its grandeur and pioneering design, the Great Stove was demolished in 1920, but it remains a significant example of Victorian engineering and architectural ingenuity.