Elcot Park Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Ramada Jarvis Hotel Newbury Elcot Park is a four star country hotel belonging to the Ramada Jarvis
hotel chain, situated within 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) of land in the locality of Elcot near Kintbury
in the English
county of Berkshire
.
, a prominent landowner from the neighbouring village of Kintbury
. Amongst the earliest inhabitants was Anthony Bushby Bacon who was a considerable iron master and colliery owner in Wales
and southern England
. He owned Elcot Park and previously rented both the Donnington Grove
and Benham Park
estates. The success of his exports to Russia
and Sweden
made him the wealthiest man in Britain according to records held in Wales.
Sale documents are held for 1844, when Elcot Park was sold with 122 acres (in contrast with today's 16). Lady Shelly, mother of the great poet Percy Bysshe Shelley
, moved here with her remaining daughter, having suffered the double tragedy of her husband’s death at Field Place, Sussex
and the death by drowning of Percy. The estate was then let for a number of years to various military families until the Shelly family sold their interest in Elcot Park to Sir Richard Vincent Sutton, 6th Baronet in 1899. Sir Richard’s main seat was Benham Park, and the land attached to Elcot at that time adjoined Benham Valence. Elcot Park was again let for a further 25 years to a prominent JP by the name of Richard Plaskett Thomas. He held substantial tea plantations in India
. The land belonging to Elcot Park then became part of the tenancy for Elcot Farmhouse. The main mansion, parkland and outbuildings forming a separate tenancy.
During the early years of the Second World War, a Hampshire
family – the Bramley Firths from Silchester
became tenants. Towards the end of the war, a Mrs Whitehead had taken the tenancy and it was she who first had the initiative to create a “letting residence”. After a long fight to establish a licensed hotel, she finally gave up the struggle whilst in her late fifties. The property remained empty for some ten years, until in 1967 a Mr Harold Sterne and his wife June took the tenancy with a serious attempt to create a worthy hotel. There was a programme of development that lasted some 18 years. Mr & Mrs Sterne were given the opportunity to purchase the property outright in 1977 and they continued the business until deciding to retire in 1987.
The hotel was purchased by a Mr Katzler and between 1987 and the end of May 1989, the hotel was further extended by the addition of 7 more bedrooms in the Mews Cottages, formerly the private accommodation of Mr Stern. As interest rates rose Mr Katzler decided to sell the property rather than continue his expansion and redevelopment plans. From June 1989 the hotel has been in company ownership. Resort Hotels added a tasteful extension giving the property a further 42 en-suite bedrooms and a Health Club with an indoor swimming pool, spa pool, sauna and mini-gym. The restaurant was redecorated and extended and a new conservatory was built to replace the original one, which had been destroyed in the gales of 1987.
Jarvis Hotels acquired the property in 1994, bedrooms and bathrooms have been refurbished and a full kitchen re-fit has given the hotel the facility to host large local events. In September 2001 Jarvis joined with Ramada
Hotels to form Ramada Jarvis
, the arrangement which exists to this day.
in the direction of Hungerford
for roughly four miles, looking out for the Halfway Inn. Three quarters of a mile thereafter one should see the signs for the hotel). Taking the narrow winding road up the hill towards the hotel, one should exact extreme caution at all times.
The hotel is located on a slight hill overlooking the Kennet Valley with views towards Walbury Hill
. Around the grounds there are trees, bushes and grass.
Ramada Jarvis
Ramada Jarvis was a chain of 42 3 star and 4 star hotels located throughout the mainland of the United Kingdom . The Elcot Park Hotel in Newbury was one of the hotels in this chain, along with multiple others in large locations such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Manchester and...
hotel chain, situated within 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) of land in the locality of Elcot near Kintbury
Kintbury
Kintbury is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, between the towns of Newbury and Hungerford.-Amenities:In Kintbury there is the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary, Church of England primary school, post office, corner shop, and a butcher...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
History
The hotel was built in 1768, possibly for Charles DundasCharles Dundas, 1st Baron Amesbury
Charles Dundas, 1st Baron Amesbury was a British politician.-Background and education:Charles was a younger son of Thomas Dundas of Fingask, MP for Orkney and Shetland and a commissioner of police in Scotland , who died on 10 April 1786...
, a prominent landowner from the neighbouring village of Kintbury
Kintbury
Kintbury is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, between the towns of Newbury and Hungerford.-Amenities:In Kintbury there is the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary, Church of England primary school, post office, corner shop, and a butcher...
. Amongst the earliest inhabitants was Anthony Bushby Bacon who was a considerable iron master and colliery owner in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He owned Elcot Park and previously rented both the Donnington Grove
Donnington Grove
Donnington Grove is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion, now an hotel and country club, and associated Golf Course at Donnington in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington, near Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. It is overlooked by Donnington Castle....
and Benham Park
Benham Park
Benham Park is a mansion in the English county of Berkshire, within the civil parish of Speen. It is located west of Newbury, not far off the A34, near the village of Marsh Benham....
estates. The success of his exports to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
made him the wealthiest man in Britain according to records held in Wales.
Sale documents are held for 1844, when Elcot Park was sold with 122 acres (in contrast with today's 16). Lady Shelly, mother of the great poet Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
, moved here with her remaining daughter, having suffered the double tragedy of her husband’s death at Field Place, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and the death by drowning of Percy. The estate was then let for a number of years to various military families until the Shelly family sold their interest in Elcot Park to Sir Richard Vincent Sutton, 6th Baronet in 1899. Sir Richard’s main seat was Benham Park, and the land attached to Elcot at that time adjoined Benham Valence. Elcot Park was again let for a further 25 years to a prominent JP by the name of Richard Plaskett Thomas. He held substantial tea plantations in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The land belonging to Elcot Park then became part of the tenancy for Elcot Farmhouse. The main mansion, parkland and outbuildings forming a separate tenancy.
During the early years of the Second World War, a Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
family – the Bramley Firths from Silchester
Silchester
Silchester is a village and civil parish about north of Basingstoke in Hampshire. It is adjacent to the county boundary with Berkshire and about south-west of Reading....
became tenants. Towards the end of the war, a Mrs Whitehead had taken the tenancy and it was she who first had the initiative to create a “letting residence”. After a long fight to establish a licensed hotel, she finally gave up the struggle whilst in her late fifties. The property remained empty for some ten years, until in 1967 a Mr Harold Sterne and his wife June took the tenancy with a serious attempt to create a worthy hotel. There was a programme of development that lasted some 18 years. Mr & Mrs Sterne were given the opportunity to purchase the property outright in 1977 and they continued the business until deciding to retire in 1987.
The hotel was purchased by a Mr Katzler and between 1987 and the end of May 1989, the hotel was further extended by the addition of 7 more bedrooms in the Mews Cottages, formerly the private accommodation of Mr Stern. As interest rates rose Mr Katzler decided to sell the property rather than continue his expansion and redevelopment plans. From June 1989 the hotel has been in company ownership. Resort Hotels added a tasteful extension giving the property a further 42 en-suite bedrooms and a Health Club with an indoor swimming pool, spa pool, sauna and mini-gym. The restaurant was redecorated and extended and a new conservatory was built to replace the original one, which had been destroyed in the gales of 1987.
Jarvis Hotels acquired the property in 1994, bedrooms and bathrooms have been refurbished and a full kitchen re-fit has given the hotel the facility to host large local events. In September 2001 Jarvis joined with Ramada
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
Hotels to form Ramada Jarvis
Ramada Jarvis
Ramada Jarvis was a chain of 42 3 star and 4 star hotels located throughout the mainland of the United Kingdom . The Elcot Park Hotel in Newbury was one of the hotels in this chain, along with multiple others in large locations such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Manchester and...
, the arrangement which exists to this day.
Location
Prospective guests seeking the hotel should follow the A4 from NewburyNewbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
in the direction of Hungerford
Hungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
for roughly four miles, looking out for the Halfway Inn. Three quarters of a mile thereafter one should see the signs for the hotel). Taking the narrow winding road up the hill towards the hotel, one should exact extreme caution at all times.
The hotel is located on a slight hill overlooking the Kennet Valley with views towards Walbury Hill
Walbury Hill
Walbury Hill is the highest point in the traditional county of Berkshire in the UK at above sea level. It is also the highest point in the South East of England, West Berkshire being a constituent part of the South East of England...
. Around the grounds there are trees, bushes and grass.