Absolutely loved exploring this place, i love wood work and im an oak frame carpenter myself (hence the username) so seeing this place was really special, made me wonder if in 400 years some knob with a camera will be wondering around any of the houses i build! We built a tudor style manor house a few years ago about 3 times the size of the hall in this report that will make an amazing explore for someone one day! So i researched this place a while back but didnt get around to gettting up there and having a look until last weekend when i was travelling back from wales and called in at calcot hall-which is a fetid shit pit by the way and if i bother to even do a report on it ill suggest noone bothers going there ever again - and then a bit further down the road is this hall, originally only intended to be a recy on my way home it turned into a full expedition with only half a battery, no fags and desperate need for a shit, also with it only starting out as a recy i only had my trainers on, first explore without my boots and i ended up having to walk through a bloody stream, slip down some mossy stone step and then started stomping into a bloody bog when i made my exit across the field.
The estate is very much live, i could hear someone shooting pretty close to where i was mooching, its also overlooked by houses and the gate house had someone pottering about inside. As far as i know the owner of the estate breeds horses but like so many of these beautiful places its a money pit and so its just been left.
HISTORY
The Hall is Grade I listed and one of England's finest Elizabethan half timbered houses. The first record of the estate is in the Domesday Book (1081 - 86) and is described as follows:
EDRIC, AND LEOFRIC AND WULFRIC HELD IT AS THRESS MANORS; THEY WERE FREE. 3 HIDES WHICH PAY TAX. LAND FOR 5 PLOUGHS. IN LORDSHIP 3; 3 SLAVES; 3 PLOUGHMEN; 1 VILLAGE; 3 SMALLHOLDERS, A SMITH AND RIDER WITH 2 PLOUGHS. WOODLAND FOR FATTENING 100 PIGS. VALUE BEFORE 1066, 8S LATER 16S; NOW 40Sâ€
Historical records relate that a mediaeval manor house existed somewhere on the site from at least 1284 to 1431 and it is possible that portions of the earlier house may survive within the fabric of the west wing. Soon after the three wings were completed a garderobe tower was added to the north east corner, overlooking the brook and rolling parkland. Many of the 16th century arrangements have been altered by successive waves of taste and need, with the exception of the drawing room where the paneling and ceiling are amongst the finest of their type and date back to 1626.
Some time after the Dissolution of the Monasteries (during the reign of Henry VIII) and when Roman Catholics were being persecuted for their religious beliefs, a Priest's Hole was installed in the house. Prince Rupert is said to have hidden there from the Parliamentarians.- the priest hole is behind the secret doorway in the picture of me chucking out the v's.
In the 19th Century, George Devey, brought the house up to date in accordance with Victorian country house planning including the installation of baths and water closets. His restoration included replacement of the defective timbers and the re-instalment of mullion and casement windows.
Before 1992, the previous owners, the Colthurst family, carried out a 10 year restoration programme with strict attention to historical detail.
The house, described by Pevsner as being "a combination of considerable size with an undeniable homeliness", has many classical features including one of the most impressive timber framed facades anywhere in England. The Hall is surrounded on all sides by other buildings and features of interest some of which are on the Estate. These include a Tree house, Orangery, Stable Yard, Bitumen Well and Georgian Plunge Pool.
Some of the more famous guests to stay at the hall over the years include Queen Victoria who as Princess Victoria, aged 13 was entertained at the Hall in 1832 by the then owner 3rd Earl of Liverpool. An extract from her diary recalls "at about twenty minutes to five we arrived at the hall, a curious looking but very comfortable house. It is striped black and white and in the shape of a cottage". During her stay she watched the local hunt from the Tree house.
In 1935 the then Duke of York (later George VI) and his wife Queen Elizabeth (now the Queen Mother) stayed. During World War II, the hall was one of the houses selected as a place of safety for King George and his wife Queen Elizabeth and their daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The operation to relocate the Royal Family to shropshire was called the Coates Mission.
The House was sold in 1992 after attempts to save it for the nation (involving the Prince of Wales, politicians, the National Trust and English Heritage) failed. Unfortunately the Hall is no longer open to the public and is on English Heritage's Heritage at Risk Register.
As i say i love woodwork and this place is so photogenic that im afraid its a bit poncy arty pic heavy.
THIS BLOODY TREE IS WHERE THE BOG IS!!
and not forgetting that 300 yr old tree house that queen victoria used to frequent!
thanks for looking ladys and jellyspoons - appy exploring
The estate is very much live, i could hear someone shooting pretty close to where i was mooching, its also overlooked by houses and the gate house had someone pottering about inside. As far as i know the owner of the estate breeds horses but like so many of these beautiful places its a money pit and so its just been left.
HISTORY
The Hall is Grade I listed and one of England's finest Elizabethan half timbered houses. The first record of the estate is in the Domesday Book (1081 - 86) and is described as follows:
EDRIC, AND LEOFRIC AND WULFRIC HELD IT AS THRESS MANORS; THEY WERE FREE. 3 HIDES WHICH PAY TAX. LAND FOR 5 PLOUGHS. IN LORDSHIP 3; 3 SLAVES; 3 PLOUGHMEN; 1 VILLAGE; 3 SMALLHOLDERS, A SMITH AND RIDER WITH 2 PLOUGHS. WOODLAND FOR FATTENING 100 PIGS. VALUE BEFORE 1066, 8S LATER 16S; NOW 40Sâ€
Historical records relate that a mediaeval manor house existed somewhere on the site from at least 1284 to 1431 and it is possible that portions of the earlier house may survive within the fabric of the west wing. Soon after the three wings were completed a garderobe tower was added to the north east corner, overlooking the brook and rolling parkland. Many of the 16th century arrangements have been altered by successive waves of taste and need, with the exception of the drawing room where the paneling and ceiling are amongst the finest of their type and date back to 1626.
Some time after the Dissolution of the Monasteries (during the reign of Henry VIII) and when Roman Catholics were being persecuted for their religious beliefs, a Priest's Hole was installed in the house. Prince Rupert is said to have hidden there from the Parliamentarians.- the priest hole is behind the secret doorway in the picture of me chucking out the v's.
In the 19th Century, George Devey, brought the house up to date in accordance with Victorian country house planning including the installation of baths and water closets. His restoration included replacement of the defective timbers and the re-instalment of mullion and casement windows.
Before 1992, the previous owners, the Colthurst family, carried out a 10 year restoration programme with strict attention to historical detail.
The house, described by Pevsner as being "a combination of considerable size with an undeniable homeliness", has many classical features including one of the most impressive timber framed facades anywhere in England. The Hall is surrounded on all sides by other buildings and features of interest some of which are on the Estate. These include a Tree house, Orangery, Stable Yard, Bitumen Well and Georgian Plunge Pool.
Some of the more famous guests to stay at the hall over the years include Queen Victoria who as Princess Victoria, aged 13 was entertained at the Hall in 1832 by the then owner 3rd Earl of Liverpool. An extract from her diary recalls "at about twenty minutes to five we arrived at the hall, a curious looking but very comfortable house. It is striped black and white and in the shape of a cottage". During her stay she watched the local hunt from the Tree house.
In 1935 the then Duke of York (later George VI) and his wife Queen Elizabeth (now the Queen Mother) stayed. During World War II, the hall was one of the houses selected as a place of safety for King George and his wife Queen Elizabeth and their daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The operation to relocate the Royal Family to shropshire was called the Coates Mission.
The House was sold in 1992 after attempts to save it for the nation (involving the Prince of Wales, politicians, the National Trust and English Heritage) failed. Unfortunately the Hall is no longer open to the public and is on English Heritage's Heritage at Risk Register.
As i say i love woodwork and this place is so photogenic that im afraid its a bit poncy arty pic heavy.
THIS BLOODY TREE IS WHERE THE BOG IS!!
and not forgetting that 300 yr old tree house that queen victoria used to frequent!
thanks for looking ladys and jellyspoons - appy exploring
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