Stowe, former estate of the Temple family, the dukes of Buckingham (the title became extinct in 1889), in Buckinghamshire, England. The mansion was begun in 1697 and was remodeled in 1775. It is now the site of Stowe School. Among the architects, designers, and decorators who worked on the house were Sir John Vanbrugh, Robert Adam, Grinling Gibbons, and William Kent. The estate’s famous gardens date from the 18th century and include several classical temples designed by James Gibbs. The gardens were originally formal but were gradually transformed into a landscaped park.