Foxhill House
Encyclopedia
Foxhill House is a Gothic revival style building on what is now the Whiteknights
campus of the University of Reading
at Earley
, adjoining the English
town of Reading
. It currently houses the University's School of Law.
The house was originally built in 1868 by the famous architect Alfred Waterhouse
and used as his own residence until, in the early 1870s, he moved into an even grander property, Yattendon Court, which he had built in 1867. In the early years of the 20th Century Foxhill was occupied by Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
, who was variously Member of Parliament
for Reading, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
, British ambassador to the United States
and Viceroy of India
.
In 1919 Isaacs sold the lease to Hugo Hirst, founder of the General Electric Company Ltd, who in 1934 became Baron Hirst
of Witton. Hirst lived in the house until his death in 1943. Subsequently the house was used by his daughter, Muriel, and her husband Leslie Carr Gamage until about 1958 when the University gained possession.
Used for a period as student accommodation, Foxhill House was extensively restored between 2003 and 2005, in order to suit its new role as the home of the School of Law. In 2007 the courtyard of the building was refurbished with a grant from PriceWaterhouseCoopers
in memory of Edwin Waterhouse
, who was both a co-founder of that company and the brother of the building's architect. Foxhill House is a grade II listed building.
Whiteknights Park
Whiteknights Park, or the Whiteknights Campus of the University of Reading, is the principal campus of that university. The park covers the area of the manor of Earley Whiteknights, also known as Earley St Nicholas and Earley Regis.Whiteknights Park is some two miles south of the centre of the town...
campus of the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
at Earley
Earley
Earley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The Office for National Statistics places Earley within the Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, for purposes of local government it falls within the Borough of Wokingham, outside of the jurisdiction of Reading Borough Council. The name...
, adjoining 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...
town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. It currently houses the University's School of Law.
The house was originally built in 1868 by the famous architect Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
and used as his own residence until, in the early 1870s, he moved into an even grander property, Yattendon Court, which he had built in 1867. In the early years of the 20th Century Foxhill was occupied by Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, PC, KC , was an English lawyer, jurist and politician...
, who was variously Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Reading, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
, British ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Viceroy of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
.
In 1919 Isaacs sold the lease to Hugo Hirst, founder of the General Electric Company Ltd, who in 1934 became Baron Hirst
Baron Hirst
Hugo Hirst, 1st Baron Hirst , known as Sir Hugo Hirst, Bt, between 1925 and 1934, was a German-born British industrialist....
of Witton. Hirst lived in the house until his death in 1943. Subsequently the house was used by his daughter, Muriel, and her husband Leslie Carr Gamage until about 1958 when the University gained possession.
Used for a period as student accommodation, Foxhill House was extensively restored between 2003 and 2005, in order to suit its new role as the home of the School of Law. In 2007 the courtyard of the building was refurbished with a grant from PriceWaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
in memory of Edwin Waterhouse
Edwin Waterhouse
Edwin Waterhouse was an English accountant. He is best known for having co-founded, with Samuel Lowell Price and William Hopkins Holyland, the accountancy practice of Price Waterhouse that now forms part of PricewaterhouseCoopers...
, who was both a co-founder of that company and the brother of the building's architect. Foxhill House is a grade II listed building.