Story Search Results

Skools out for Summer! #58

When Hugo and Emily Meynell built Hoar Cross Hall they also included on their estate kitchen gardens, greenhouses, stables, a farm and cottages. Old Hall (their original home) was also on the estate and was accessed via a private road, which ran from the main road. By the time the seventies came along the stable block and Old Hall were private houses and another part of Old Hall had been made into a children’s home. Emily Meynell had started this home in the Victorian days, calling it ‘The Home of the Good Shepherd’ but it was for boys only at that time. When we were there it was a mixed home and run by a husband and wife couple. They used to have fetes t...

Hickleton Hall and the Meynells #38

...).  Emily Meynell Ingram   Talking about ghosts, apparently Hickleton Hall was just as haunted as Hoar Cross Hall.  Perhaps they followed Emily when she left to get married!  Lord Halifax has written a 'ghost book' of true stories which include ghostly warnings from beyond the grave - even the current owners can hear people whispering as they walk about the house.  If you would like to read more on this, click on the book below.     Lord Halifax's Ghost Book A collection of 'true' ghost stories collected by Lord Halifax, a Victorian English Viscount with an interest in the supernatural. Most document hauntings in the great houses of Brita...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross

...ghtaway! Emily Meynell Ingram employed a Mr Rowley especially to carry out her plans of planting the yew hedges, of which there were many.  At each side of the garden was a yew tree walk which ran down to the ha-ha wall at the bottom.  Across the bottom of the gardens were smaller square gardens (including the stepping stone pond) all bordered by yew hedges.  These hedges were all trimmed into spectacular shapes and must have been a full time job for Mr Rowley! (See header picture of Mr Rowley with Frederick Meynell in the kitchen garden).    The estate also had its own farm called Home Farm.  This supplied the house and staff with all the produce that...

Gardeners' World #38

...at one of Emily Meynell's houses   Emily Meynell Ingram employed a Mr Rowley especially to carry out her plans of planting the yew hedges, of which there were many. At each side of the garden was a long walk bordered by yew hedges down to the ha-ha wall at the bottom. Across the bottom of the gardens were smaller square gardens (including the stepping stone pond) all bordered by yew hedges. These hedges were all trimmed into spectacular shapes and must have been a full time job for Mr Rowley! (see header picture of Mr Rowley in the kitchen garden).   Gardeners at work on the hedges   The estate also had its own farm called Home Farm. This supplied...

The Chapel #68

...Continuing our series on the rooms that were open to the public during the 1970s at Hoar Cross Hall, we find the Garden Hall and Chapel leading off the Long Gallery at the east end of the house.  This private chapel was a later addition to the Hall and was designed by G F Bodley, the gothic revival architect, and completed in 1897 at a cost of just under £1000.  The walls have a fine linenfold panelling and the ceiling is richly decorated.  Many houses in days gone by had their own private chapel and it seems that before the chapel was built, services had been held in another room of the house.  I would imagine that Emily Meynell wanted a proper consecrated...

"He's Behind You" #22

...“HE’S BEHIND YOU!” During the 1970s the Hall was used from time to time for local community activities and one such event was the production in 1978 of a traditional pantomime, ‘Midnight and a Journey back to Happiness’.   It was written by local people, Robert Leighton from Yoxall and the Hon. Alexandra Meynell, daughter-in-law of Mrs Jean Meynell whom we had purchased the Hall from.  The words and music were written by local songwriter, David Matthews, who had written songs for quite a few pop artists during the 1960s, his most famous being Matt Munro’s ‘We’re gonna change the world’.  So off to a good start there! For those of you who d...