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Temple Newsam and the Meynells

...rd Darcy, early in the 16th century.  He, coincidentally, had married a Meynell, and a descendant married Elizabeth Meynell, so there are a lot of associations with the Meynells early on.  Here the unfortunate earl of Darnley was born.  Married to Mary, Queen of Scots, he was murdered two years later, supposedly by Mary's next husband, the earl of Bothwell.  The house was rebuilt between 1622 and 1637 in Jacobean style by Sir Arthur Ingram and later the grounds were landscaped by 'Capability' Brown, the famous landscape gardener.  The Ingrams and their descendants were to own the estate for nearly 300 years before it passed to the Halifax family.  The hous...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #33

...THE SCHOOLROOM MAID’S STORY:      For the first 75 years of the Hall’s history about 50 servants were employed by the Meynell family in the house and grounds. Among these was a young girl of fifteen who started work in 1920 as a Schoolroom Maid. Her name was Miss Inez Sophia Large and she had connections to Hoar Cross through her grand-parents, William and Mary Tooth, who lived in the village where William was the blacksmith; his smithy was just along from the Meynell public house. He had worked on the ironwork of the Hall during its construction in the 1860s. Inez’s aunt, Constance Madeley, was the wife of the landlord at the Buffalo Inn, in nearby New...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

...THE SCHOOLROOM MAID’S STORY:    For the first 75 years of Hoar Cross Hall’s history about 50 servants were employed by the Meynell family in the house and grounds. Among these was a young girl of fifteen who started work in 1920 as a Schoolroom Maid. Her name was Miss Inez Sophia Large and she had connections to Hoar Cross through her grand-parents, William and Mary Tooth, who lived in the village where William was the blacksmith; his smithy was just along from the Meynell public house. He had worked on the ironwork of the Hall during its construction in the 1860s. Inez’s aunt, Constance Madeley, was the wife of the landlord at the Buffalo Inn, in nearby...

The Origins of the Stately Home #39

...Why are stately homes so called? Stately home actually means 'a large impressive old house with interesting history and usually visited by the public.' Well, I suppose they do look very 'stately' for a start but these houses were also a status symbol for the great families of England, who competed with each other to provide hospitality for the royal household who would travel around England meeting their subjects. Stately homes were huge mansions which were always beautiful and the epitome of perfect architecture, often designed by famous architects of the day. The gardens too would be perfectly landscaped to show balance, variety, sequence and colour. One of t...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story

...THE SCHOOLROOM MAID’S STORY:       For the first 75 years of the Hall’s history about 50 servants were employed by the Meynell family in the house and grounds.  Among these was a young girl of fifteen who started work in 1920 as a Schoolroom Maid.  Her name was Miss Inez Sophia Large and she had connections to Hoar Cross through her grand-parents, William and Mary Tooth, who lived in the village where William was the blacksmith; his smithy was just along from the Meynell public house.  He had worked on the ironwork of the Hall during its construction in the 1860s.  Inez’s aunt, Constance Madeley, was the wife of the landlord at the Buffalo Inn, in...

Temple Newsam and the Meynells #42

...rd Darcy, early in the 16th century.  He, coincidentally, had married a Meynell, and a descendant married Elizabeth Meynell, so there are a lot of associations with the Meynells early on.  Here the unfortunate earl of Darnley was born.  Married to Mary, Queen of Scots, he was murdered two years later, supposedly by Mary's next husband, the earl of Bothwell.  The house was rebuilt between 1622 and 1637 in Jacobean style by Sir Arthur Ingram and later the grounds were landscaped by 'Capability' Brown, the famous landscape gardener.  The Ingrams and their descendants were to own the estate for nearly 300 years before it passed to the Halifax family.  The hous...