Story Search Results

The origins of the stately home #43

So 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 o...

Royal visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #10

...as young women, who were now used to working for a living, became more independent and carried on working and training for careers. The days of the domestic servant as their only choice of employment were also coming to an end. Sadly, just as the country was getting back to some sort of normality King George VI died in February 1952 and our present Queen Elizabeth came to the throne. Her Coronation was on 2nd June 1953 after a period of mourning which lasted over a year. She was just 27 years old. Her reign has covered seven decades, this being her Platinum Jubilee. She also celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977, her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and her Diamond Jubi...

Hoar Cross Hall - a bit of history #17

...If you love to read up on the history of old houses then you'll love to hear about all the generations of people that lived at Hoar Cross Hall.  Hoar Cross was part of Needwood Forest, the 11th century lands of Henry de Ferrers. The land was passed down to Henry’s son and subsequent various people over the course of 500 years ending with the Webb family, around the 1730s, who bought the land and house known as the Manor of the Cross. This was quite a large house built on a hill near Yoxall (which is the village next to Hoar Cross). In 1740 the manor house was demolished and later the Hon. Charles Talbot bought the estate for £17,000. Eventually it was sold t...

Lest We Forget #28

...During the two World Wars the Meynell family of Hoar Cross Hall served their country alongside many others from all walks of life.  After each war there was huge social upheaval, especially for women, who had been doing what was traditionally 'mens work' during the war and weren't prepared to go back to domesticity.  At the time of the First World War Frederick Meynell and Lady Mary Meynell were living at the Hall with their five children.  Their four sons all served in the war and their daughter Margaret served in the Red Cross as a volunteer. Their eldest son Francis was a Major but was wounded in action in 1917 with severe wounds to his back. He was moved...

Hoar Cross Hall meets Downton Abbey #99

...times as women became more independent after the Great War.   Servants wait on table in the 1950s at Hoar Cross   In 1907 the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, an enthusiastic Egyptologist, hired Howard Carter to search for the tomb of Tutankhamun - eventually, when they were about to give up, they found it in 1922!  And what a find!  Half the world queued up to see the beautiful artefacts discovered in the tomb and some of these items are on show at Highclere today in their basement rooms.  View website here. When my parents bought Hoar Cross Hall, we opened it to the public as my father wanted to display his collection of arms and armour, the largest priva...

Lest we forget #86

...During the two World Wars the Meynell family of Hoar Cross Hall served their country alongside many others from all walks of life.  After each war there was huge social upheaval, especially for women, who had been doing what was traditionally 'men's work' during the war and weren't prepared to go back to domestic roles.  At the time of the First World War Frederick Meynell and Lady Mary Meynell were living at the Hall with their five children.  Their four sons all served in the war and their daughter Margaret served in the Red Cross as a volunteer. Their eldest son Francis was a Major but was wounded in action in 1917 with severe wounds to his back. He was m...