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Temple Newsam and the Meynells #40

Hoar Cross HAll was built by Hugo and Emily Meynell Ingram in 1871 and this week I am delving into the family background of Hugo to explain how Emily came to own the Temple Newsam estate after his death. In 1782, Hugo's grandfather, Hugo Meynell of Quorndon, the 'father of fox hunting', married the Hon. Elizabeth Ingram Shepheard.  She was the daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount Irwin and Lord Ingram.  The family seat was Temple Newsam in Yorkshire and this was how the Meynell family became associated with this great house.  Through this marriage of Hugo and Elizabeth, the Meynell family also inherited the Ingram estates in Lincolnshire, acquired by Sir...

Queen Alexandra - my family #51

More photos from the album of Queen Alexandra in the run up to the Coronation showing members of the royal family at leisure in the early part of the 20th century.  Alexandra enjoyed photography as a hobby and in 1908 put together an album of her personal photos to be sold for charity. In it are photos of her husband King Edward VII and other royals spending time at Balmoral and Sandringham during their holidays – a rare insight into how the royal family spent their leisure time, which in those days would never have been seen before.     The Emperor of Russia's family This picture was taken on board the Emperor of Russia's yacht, 'Standart' as they sail...

Home fit for a King #53

With the Coronation of King Charles III almost upon us, this week's blog focuses on the Palace that he now cAlls home – or the 'Headquarters' of the Royal Family. This residence is Buckingham Palace which is the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom and where many state occasions take place, but Buckingham Palace was originAlly known as Buckingham House. The building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as Th...

The Long GAllery #67

I thought that a little series on the different rooms in Hoar Cross HAll might be quite interesting, taking a deeper look at what these rooms were used for and a bit of history surrounding them.  The main ground floor rooms were open to the public during the 1970s when people wandered around our home admiring the fine paintings and furniture followed by a walk in the grounds trying to imagine how it looked in days gone by.  The house was entered through two huge oak doors which led into an Entrance HAll - this was our cafe area and the Butlers Pantry just off there was what we used as a kitchen to bake scones and sell snacks and ice creams.  Leading off the E...

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...

The BAllroom #70

Continuing my series on the rooms that were open to the public at Hoar Cross HAll, we move from the Library, through the secret door, to the BAllroom.  Overlooking the gardens and the former deer-park, this beautifully proportioned room is elegant and grand.  The lower halves of the wAlls are covered in carved white and gold wood panelling which is complemented by the original hand printed blue wAllpaper, again over 150 years old (see photo below).  Incredibly the original wooden printing blocks for the wAllpaper were in the house when we moved in and were on show to the public in this room.  The fireplaces are made of marble with carved wood overmantels wh...