Vysokoye estate owned by Count Alexander Dmitrievich Sheremetev 1874-1918. Based on the documents of the Russian State Historical Archive

Scientific article

doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2024-4-1228-1239

For citation

Tikhonova, Anastasia V., Vysokoye estate owned by Count Alexander Dmitrievich Sheremetev 1874-1918. Based on the documents of the Russian State Historical Archive, Herald of an Archivist, no. 4, pp. 000-000, doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2024-4-1228-1239

Tikhonova, Anastasia V., Smolensk State Museum-Reserve, Smolensk, Russia

Vysokoye estate owned by Count Alexander Dmitrievich Sheremetev 1874-1918. Based on the documents of the Russian State Historical Archive

Abstract

Documents of the personal fund of Count Alexander Dmitrievich Sheremetev in the Russian State Historical Archive (F. 1118) allow us to reconstruct the history of the Vysokoye estate, Sychevsky uyezd, Smolensk province, when it was owned by Count A. D. Sheremetev (now it is a village in Novoduginsky district, Smolensk region). Having inherited the Vysokoye estate after the death of his mother, Countess Alexandra Grigoryevna Sheremeteva, n?e Melnikova (1825-1874), Alexander Dmitrievich continued its development. Under the new owner in 1890-1891 under the guidance of architect G. Y. Levi some buildings were repaired, including the main manor house, the latter was decorated with a fountain, water supply and heating were solved. At the request of the Count's wife Maria Feodorovna, n?e Countess Heyden, the architect A. F. Meisner in 1900-1902 erected a large annex to the lord's house, decorated its interiors, and at the same time electricity and telephone were installed in the building. Since 1893 in the village of Vysoky operated postal and telegraph station, opened with the assistance of the owner of the estate. Among the documents in the collection of Count A. D. Sheremetev are his service record with the indication of his last position - head of the Court Singing Chapel and a list of numerous awards, as well as materials characterizing the multifaceted activities of this representative of the Russian aristocracy in the field of charity, music education and promotion of fire safety measures. It also has a direct relation to the Vysokoye estate, as famous musicians, including the choral conductor A. A. Arkhangelsky, were invited to visit it. The Vysokoye fire department was organized and equipped with the most modern equipment and uniforms for its time. The building, built in the late 1860s by architect N. L. Benois for a horse breeding factory, was renovated in 1886 and adapted according to the project of A. I. von Gauguin for the “Vysokovskaya almshouse with a hospital in memory of Count Dmitry Nikolayevich and Countess Alexandra Grigoryevna Sheremetev”, the parents of Count A. D. Sheremetev. The last owner of the Vysokoye estate built a parochial school for peasant children and was its honorary trustee. The estate was exemplary in economic terms. Being a large landowner, Count A. D. Sheremetev used Vysokoye as a summer residence for his family. At present, archival documents about this Sheremetev estate are of particular value due to the fact that work has begun in the village of Vysokoye to restore the church and other manor buildings in order to create a cultural, educational and educational center in this picturesque corner of Smolensk region.

Keywords

Vysokoye estate, Smolensk province, Smolensk region, Counts Sheremetev, A. D. Sheremetev, the fund of Count A. D. Sheremetev, N. L. Benois, G. Y. Levi, A. F. Meisner, A. I. von Gauguin, historical sources.

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References

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About the authors

Tikhonova Anastasia V., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Smolensk State University, Department of Russian History, Professor, Smolensk State Museum-Reserve, Deputy Director for Science, Smolensk, Russia, +7-920-303-16-89, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The article was received in the editorial office on 16.10.2023, recommended for publication on 20.09.2024.