James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos (1642–1714), English Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
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Canons Park is largely located on the site of Cannons, a magnificent early 18th-century country estate built between 1713–25, by James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos.
Castle Street in Bridgwater, Somerset, England was built in the 1720s, on a site previously occupied by Bridgwater Castle, by Benjamin Holloway or Fort and Shepherd, the Duke's London surveyors for James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos.
In 1813 the house was still home to Anna Eliza Brydges, Duchess of Chandos, whom the 3rd Duke had married as his second wife in 1777.
He was in England by 1719 when he designed the stained glass windows for James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos in the chapel at Cannons, these are now in the church at Great Witley.
At this time the Ottoman Empire was making great advances into Europe, reaching the walls of Vienna.
The medieval St Lawrence Church was reconstructed by James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos in the baroque style.
Born at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, Buckingham was the son of the Earl Temple (later created The 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos) and Lady Anne, daughter of The 3rd Duke of Chandos.
Sophia received many gifts from those seeking patronage; e.g. between 1715 and 1720, she received £9,545 from the Duke of Chandos and 1720, was given £15,000 of stock by the South Sea Company, with a bonus of £120 for every point the stock rose above £154.
The story is that Handel, when working for James Brydges the future Duke of Chandos at Cannons between 1717 and 1718, once took shelter from the rain in a smithy, and was inspired to write his tune upon hearing the hammer on the anvil; the regularly repeated pedal note (B in the right hand) in the first variation, can give the impression of a blacksmith hammering.