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The Grand Opening #5

...NOW!!!  'an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan> an class='highlight'>Boughtan> a Mansion' is out in book form on amazon - all an class='highlight'>Myan> memoirs packed with lots of photographs from the times.  Go check it out here and let me know what you think!           ...

The Grand Opening #5

...THE GRaND OPENING:        and so we move into 1971 and the preparation of the Hall so we could open it to the public by Easter.  During the run up to buying the house an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan> had been buying furniture, carpets and paintings like  crazy and I remember our previous home being jam packed with chaise longues, sideboards and carved chests as well as all the suits of armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out in all the rooms. an class='highlight'>Myan> mum’s collection of Victorian costumes were on display in the Ballroom as well as an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan>’s collection of silver plated ‘display’ armour, which hung around the panelled walls; the suits of armour and the many pai...

The Grand Opening #5

...THE GRaND OPENING:       and so we move into 1971 and the preparation of Hoar Cross Hall so we could open it to the public by Easter.  During the run up to buying the house an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan> had been buying furniture, carpets and paintings like  crazy and I remember our previous home being jam packed with chaise longues, sideboards and carved chests as well as all the suits of armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out in all the rooms. an class='highlight'>Myan> mum’s collection of Victorian costumes were on display in the Ballroom as well as an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan>’s collection of silver plated ‘display’ armour, which hung around the panelled walls; the suits of armour and the ma...

Hysterical Productions! #13

...HYSTERICaL PRODUCTIONS:     By the end of 1974 we had done about 40 banquets at Hoar Cross Hall and they were still going strong.  Most of the original cast were still with us but we were on our second King now and also doing our own catering and bar, whereas when we first started, we had a catering firm in to do it all.  Every weekend over 200 people came to sample our Noble Brose, Roast Lambe and Saracen’s Delight and sing along to ‘I’m Henry VIII’ whilst drinking beer, wine and mead.  But it was a very adult environment for 15 year old girls to work in; a few of an class='highlight'>Myan> school friends also worked at the banquets as wenches and we were constantly bein...

Doing up a stately home #4

...DOING UP a STaTELY HOME:     We moved into Hoar Cross Hall during the summer holidays and an class='highlight'>Myan> parents quickly realised that they had a lot of work on their hands to make the place habitable as well as to earn some money from it. as previously mentioned, there was an East Wing and a West Wing to the house. an class='highlight'>Myan> an class='highlight'>Dadan> decided to convert the first floor rooms of each wing into three separate apartments; he had done this at our previous house. This would generate income from rents until we got the main house open to the public. It wasn’t a big job to convert the rooms as the East Wing had four main rooms and two bathrooms already there, which would have been used as...

Ghostbusters! #8

...GHOSTBUSTERS! People were always coming to Hoar Cross Hall to either hire the place or to have a look around. In 1973, because of all the media interest in our ghosts, we had a couple of professional ghost hunters asking to stay over one night to try and find the source of the noises. They brought cases full of recording equipment and set it all up in one of the attic rooms. Rather them than me I thought! Then I had a brilliant idea and went off to tell an class='highlight'>Myan> brother Gavin all about it. as mentioned in an class='highlight'>Myan> first blog the attic and basement had a row of bells which the family used to summon the servants. Before the three men arrived we spent all day trying out all t...