Across Napier Miles Road, the design of the Georgian stable block has led to a popular urban myth; this regards the keeping of giraffes by the owners of Kings Weston house, and the need of a particularly large arch in the centre of the building to accommodate this exotic species. This, to the very best of our knowledge, was not the case, but makes for a great yarn. On the other hand, there was a hippo…
Like many visitors to the estate today, Sybil Napier Miles shared a love of dogs, and particularly pedigree French Bulldogs. She bred these in the early years of the 20th Century, adverts regularly appearing in the press for the sale of these pedigree pups at Kings Weston house. Her particular favourite, and award winning, dog was Hippo. The Tattler reported in 1916, that the two-year-old Hippo had been “quite a sensation” at the annual shows, a “wonderfully cloddy little dog”.
Hippo was clearly a much-loved pet, for he also managed to feature in portrait photos taken of Philip Napier Miles and Sybil a decade later, no doubt in his dotage. So, Hippo can now join the list of illustrious past residents of Kings Weston house.
