 The West Wycombe estate was acquired by Sir Francis Dashwood , 1st Baronet , and his brother Samuel in 1698 . Dashwood demolished the existing manor house and built a modern mansion on higher ground nearby . This mansion forms the core of the present house . Images of the house on early estate plans show a red @-@ brick house with stone dressings and a hipped roof in the contemporary Queen Anne style . In 1724 , Dashwood bequeathed this square conventional house to his 16 @-@ year @-@ old son , the 2nd Baronet , also Francis , who later inherited the title Baron le Despencer through his mother and is perhaps best known for establishing the Hellfire Club close to the mansion , in the West Wycombe Caves . Between 1726 and 1741 , Dashwood embarked on a series of Grand Tours : the ideas and manners he learned during this period influenced him throughout his life and were pivotal in the rebuilding of his father 's simple house , transforming it into the classical edifice that exists today . 
