Sizewell Hall
Encyclopedia
Sizewell Hall is a Christian conference centre in Sizewell
on the Suffolk
coast, England
. It is owned by the Ogilvie
family. It was for some time the home of a progressive school. It has historic connections with a classic taxidermy
collection.
The Hall is currently a Christian conference centre run by Sizewell Hall Ltd, a Registered Charity. In 2007 6500 visitors came to stay at the Hall. These groups consist of local church groups from East Anglia
, national organisations and a local youth organisation CYM from Ipswich
. CYM has developed an activity holiday for school children in the African Village in the Hall grounds.
The Ogilvie family purchased the property in 1859 and expanded the estate to more than 6000 acres (24.3 km²), and extended the house. Mrs Margaret Ogilvie was a benefactress who established a research award (Readership in ophthalmology) at Oxford University From this house, not far from RSPB Minsmere
, the ophthalmic surgeon Fergus Menteith Ogilvie (1861–1918) formed the very large Collection of British Birds which, in a celebrated partnership with the taxidermist Thomas Gunn of Norwich
, were mounted in cases with unusually beautiful simulated habitats. The collection (now in Ipswich Museum
) is considered the best of its kind in Great Britain.
The Hall was rebuilt after a fire in 1920. Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie developed nearby Thorpeness
. The Ogilvie family moved out when the army commandeered the hall in World War II.
After the War, it became a private school run by Harry Tuyn. One of his famous students was Sheridan Morley
. The school closed in the late 1950s. The school was a progressive, co-educational establishment where pupils could study what they liked, if they liked. (It is not to be confused with the progressive Summerhill School
at Leiston
nearby). It was said that subjects such as Geography, Maths and Latin were not taught at all on the ground that they were too boring. However this cannot be true, because it was a copy of Kennedy
's Latin Primer from Sizewell Hall School which gave to Benjamin Britten
and Myfanwy Piper
the words for Miles's Latin benedicite in Britten's opera The Turn of the Screw
.
In the 1960s the Hall was the headquarters for Taylor Woodrow
as they were constructing Sizewell A nuclear power Station.
Sizewell Hall was used as a location for the television adaptation of The Lost Prince
and for Lovejoy
.
The grounds of the hall also include the camping site, a children's park, tennis courts, a sport's hall, squash court and activity course.
Sizewell
Sizewell is a small fishing village with a few holiday homes in the county of Suffolk, England. It is located on the East Anglian coast just north of the larger holiday villages of Thorpeness and Aldeburgh, and two miles from the town of Leiston. It is within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.The...
on the Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
coast, 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...
. It is owned by the Ogilvie
Ogilvie
Ogilvie is a surname with origins in the Barony of Ogilvy in Angus, Scotland. See Clan OgilvyOgilvie may refer to:-People:*Albert Ogilvie , Premier of Tasmania in the 1930s*Alec Ogilvie , pioneer British aviator...
family. It was for some time the home of a progressive school. It has historic connections with a classic taxidermy
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
collection.
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, national organisations and a local youth organisation CYM from Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
. CYM has developed an activity holiday for school children in the African Village in the Hall grounds.
The Ogilvie family purchased the property in 1859 and expanded the estate to more than 6000 acres (24.3 km²), and extended the house. Mrs Margaret Ogilvie was a benefactress who established a research award (Readership in ophthalmology) at Oxford University From this house, not far from RSPB Minsmere
RSPB Minsmere
Minsmere RSPB reserve is a nature reserve owned and run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Suffolk, England. It lies on the Suffolk coast to the south of Southwold and north of Aldeburgh within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Suffolk...
, the ophthalmic surgeon Fergus Menteith Ogilvie (1861–1918) formed the very large Collection of British Birds which, in a celebrated partnership with the taxidermist Thomas Gunn of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, were mounted in cases with unusually beautiful simulated habitats. The collection (now in Ipswich Museum
Ipswich Museum
Ipswich Museum is a registered museum of culture, history and natural heritage located on High Street in Ipswich, the County Town of the English county of Suffolk...
) is considered the best of its kind in Great Britain.
The Hall was rebuilt after a fire in 1920. Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie developed nearby Thorpeness
Thorpeness
Thorpeness is a village in the county of Suffolk, England. It is part of the parish of Aldringham cum Thorpe and is within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.- Development of the community :...
. The Ogilvie family moved out when the army commandeered the hall in World War II.
After the War, it became a private school run by Harry Tuyn. One of his famous students was Sheridan Morley
Sheridan Morley
Sheridan Morley was an English author, biographer, critic, director, actor and broadcaster. He was the eldest son of actor Robert Morley and grandson of actress Dame Gladys Cooper, and wrote biographies of both...
. The school closed in the late 1950s. The school was a progressive, co-educational establishment where pupils could study what they liked, if they liked. (It is not to be confused with the progressive Summerhill School
Summerhill School
Summerhill School is an independent British boarding school that was founded in 1921 by Alexander Sutherland Neill with the belief that the school should be made to fit the child, rather than the other way around...
at Leiston
Leiston
Leiston is a town in eastern Suffolk, England. It is situated near Saxmundham and Aldeburgh, about from the North Sea coast and is northeast of Ipswich and northeast from London...
nearby). It was said that subjects such as Geography, Maths and Latin were not taught at all on the ground that they were too boring. However this cannot be true, because it was a copy of Kennedy
Benjamin Hall Kennedy
Benjamin Hall Kennedy was an English scholar and schoolmaster, known for his work in the teaching of the Latin language.-Biography:...
's Latin Primer from Sizewell Hall School which gave to Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
and Myfanwy Piper
Myfanwy Piper
Mary Myfanwy Piper was a British art critic and opera librettist.Myfanwy Evans was born into a Welsh family in London. She attended North London Collegiate School and read English Language and Literature at St Hugh's College, Oxford. She married the artist John Piper, with whom she lived in rural...
the words for Miles's Latin benedicite in Britten's opera The Turn of the Screw
The Turn of the Screw (opera)
The Turn of the Screw is a 20th century English chamber opera composed by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, "wife of the artist John Piper, who had been a friend of the composer since 1935 and had provided designs for several of the operas". The libretto is based on the novella...
.
In the 1960s the Hall was the headquarters for Taylor Woodrow
Taylor Woodrow
Taylor Woodrow was one of the largest British housebuilding and general construction companies. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but merged with rival George Wimpey to create Taylor Wimpey on 3 July 2007.-Early years:Frank Taylor was...
as they were constructing Sizewell A nuclear power Station.
Sizewell Hall was used as a location for the television adaptation of The Lost Prince
The Lost Prince
The Lost Prince is an acclaimed British television drama serial, produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC and originally broadcast in two episodes on BBC One in January 2003...
and for Lovejoy
Lovejoy
Lovejoy is a TV series about the adventures of Lovejoy, a British antiques dealer and faker based in East Anglia, a less than scrupulous yet likeable rogue. The episodes were based on a series of picaresque novels by John Grant...
.
The grounds of the hall also include the camping site, a children's park, tennis courts, a sport's hall, squash court and activity course.