INVISIBLE as it is from public roads, Downton Hall to the north of Ludlow —not to be confused with nearby Downton Castle—has long been one of England’s mystery houses. Its position seems to have been chosen with an unerring eye to the view and the red-brick building (Fig 1) enjoys a splendid vista east across a broad valley to the distinctive profile of Titterstone Clee Hill. When it was last written up for COUNTRY LIFE in 1917, H. Avray Tipping gave appropriate prominence to the splendid Music Room (Fig 4), one of the most remarkable interiors of its period in the West Midlands, but, in the second part of the 20th century, the house disappeared completely from the public eye. Recent restoration and the progress of architectural scholarship into what is quite a complex history make a revisitation timely.
The way in which the owners of Downton changed their names repeatedly through successive generations is more than usually confusing, but helps to explain how the estate was progressively consolidated. In the late 17th century, it was divided between no fewer than four families: Hall, Shepherd, Pearce and Wredenhall. In 1726, the wealthy, but childless lawyer Serjeant William Hall left his estate to his nephew William Shepherd, who took the name Hall, but died unmarried in 1731. His fortune passed to his sister Elizabeth, who had married Wredenhall Pearce; as the latter’s mother, Anne Wredenhall, was the heiress to the Downton element, so, on her death in 1731, the component parts of the core of the current estate were united and the scene was set for the building of a commensurate house to supersede the assorted minor homes of the various components.
Denne historien er fra January 26, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra January 26, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
