Blakesley Hall (Northamptonshire)
Encyclopedia
Blakesley Hall was a 13th century manor house
situated near the village of Blakesley
in Northamptonshire
, England.
It was demolished in 1957-58.
and was gifted at one time by Henry VIII
to his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth I of England).
The Hall was once a possession of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.
It was owned by the Hibbit family for over forty years between 1823 to 1867. The owner William Hibbit (1767–1840) inherited the titles Lord Of The Manor
and 'Patron Of The Living'. During this period the Hibbits were responsible for many alterations to both the Hall and the grounds. These included construction of a Hospital Wing and extensive landscaping of the gardens. The stable block was a focal meeting point for the Blakesley Hunt during their residence.
The family connections with Blakesley extended to the local church St Mary The Virgin, where they were celebrated patrons (a plaque is on display near the altar). The beautiful sandstone font, donated by one of Williams sons , the vicar of St. Mary's, the Reverend Arthur Hibbit BA (Cambridge) (1818–1893) is still in use for baptisms.
Ownership of the Hall for the years between 1867 and 1875 was shrouded in mystery and intrigue with contestation of wills and estate claims abounding.
The hall was owned by Charles William Bartholomew, a civil engineer, from 1876 to 1919. In 1903, Bartholemew constructed a 15 inches (381 mm)-gauge ridable miniature railway
. The narrow-gauge line ran the three quarters of a mile from Blakesley station
on the closed Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway to the Hall. It carried coal, farm supplies and the occasional passenger and when the Hall became a military hospital during the first world war, the line was used to rehabilitate patients. The track was lifted in 1940.
One of the engines run on the miniature railway was a 4-4-4T internal combustion locomotive
(with a steam outline) named Blackolvesley and built by Bassett-Lowke
of Northampton
in 1909.
s, the Roger Coy Partnership based in Eydon, have been granted planning permission
to undertake work on their proposed recreation of the hall. The current owner discovered a stream
by landscape gardeners, James Pulham and Son
(a firm which specialised in the production of simulated rock, known as Pulham Rock
, for garden features in the 19th century) while clearing the grounds in readiness for the redevelopment. The stream, which had become overgrown, included cascades
and other water features.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
situated near the village of Blakesley
Blakesley
Blakesley is a village and civil parish in the South Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. It is about = west of Towcester. It is about above sea level according to Ordnance Survey...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England.
It was demolished in 1957-58.
History
The Hall dated from the reign of King Henry IIIHenry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and was gifted at one time by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
to his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth I of England).
The Hall was once a possession of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.
It was owned by the Hibbit family for over forty years between 1823 to 1867. The owner William Hibbit (1767–1840) inherited the titles Lord Of The Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
and 'Patron Of The Living'. During this period the Hibbits were responsible for many alterations to both the Hall and the grounds. These included construction of a Hospital Wing and extensive landscaping of the gardens. The stable block was a focal meeting point for the Blakesley Hunt during their residence.
The family connections with Blakesley extended to the local church St Mary The Virgin, where they were celebrated patrons (a plaque is on display near the altar). The beautiful sandstone font, donated by one of Williams sons , the vicar of St. Mary's, the Reverend Arthur Hibbit BA (Cambridge) (1818–1893) is still in use for baptisms.
Ownership of the Hall for the years between 1867 and 1875 was shrouded in mystery and intrigue with contestation of wills and estate claims abounding.
The hall was owned by Charles William Bartholomew, a civil engineer, from 1876 to 1919. In 1903, Bartholemew constructed a 15 inches (381 mm)-gauge ridable miniature railway
Ridable miniature railway
A ridable miniature railway is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives .-Overview:Typically they have a rail track gauge between and , though both larger and...
. The narrow-gauge line ran the three quarters of a mile from Blakesley station
Blakesley railway station
Blakesley was a railway station on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway which served the Northamptonshire village of Blakesley between 1873 and 1962...
on the closed Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway to the Hall. It carried coal, farm supplies and the occasional passenger and when the Hall became a military hospital during the first world war, the line was used to rehabilitate patients. The track was lifted in 1940.
One of the engines run on the miniature railway was a 4-4-4T internal combustion locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
(with a steam outline) named Blackolvesley and built by Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke was a toy company in Northampton, England, founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1898 or 1899, that specialized in model railways, boats and ships, and construction sets...
of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
in 1909.
Recent developments
More recently, local architectural designerArchitectural designer
An architectural designer is an architect that is primarily involved in the design of buildings or urban landscapes, as opposed to the construction documents and management required to construct it. Architectural designers have good creative skills, imagination and artistic talent...
s, the Roger Coy Partnership based in Eydon, have been granted planning permission
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
to undertake work on their proposed recreation of the hall. The current owner discovered a stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
by landscape gardeners, James Pulham and Son
James Pulham and Son
James Pulham and Son was a firm of Victorian landscape gardeners and terracotta manufacturers which exhibited and won medals at London's Great Exhibition of 1851 and 1862 International Exhibition.-History:...
(a firm which specialised in the production of simulated rock, known as Pulham Rock
Pulhamite
Pulhamite was a patented anthropic rock 'material' invented by James Pulham of the firm James Pulham and Son of Broxbourne.Pulhamite, which usually looked like gritty sandstone, was used to join natural rocks together or crafted to simulate natural stone features. The recipe went to the grave...
, for garden features in the 19th century) while clearing the grounds in readiness for the redevelopment. The stream, which had become overgrown, included cascades
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
and other water features.