Ashbourne Hall
Encyclopedia
Ashbourne Hall is a Manor house
originally built by the Cockayne Family in the 13th century in Ashbourne, Derbyshire
. The present Hall is part of a largely demolished, Georgian styled Hall build during the 18th century.
in the 13th Century. It is not known what the original manor looked like. Ashbourne Hall served as their family seat and most of the family were buried in the Cockayne Chapel at nearby Ashbourne Parish Church. The family also owned the nearby manors of Sturston Hall, Bradley and of Pooley hall
in Polesworth
, Warwickshire
. Sir Aston Cockayne
, First Baronet Cockayne of Ashbourne, was a cavalier, author and poet. He was friends with Charles I
from whom he received his baronetcy for support during the civil war. Sir Aston used the Hall as a dower house
for his mother, Anne. He lived at his manor of Pooley hall
for most of the English Interregnum
, joining Charles II
in exile for a short time. Sir Aston gained enormous debts and sold Ashbourne Hall in 1671 to Sir William Boothby in order to pay his creditors.
In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at Ashbourne Hall for the night, proclaiming his father as James III in Ashbourne Market.
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet
married in 1784 and leased the hall from his father. He began the restoration of Ashbourne Hall using his wife's dowry to renovate the structure, remodel the parkland, purchase rare plants and obtain works of art. Boothby, like his father before him, was extravagant. He purchased from Joseph Wright of Derby
two paintings of Dovedale
, two views of nearby Matlock, two paintings of bridges in Rome as well as an unusual portrait of himself.
The original Hall was demolished during the Boothby's time, and the present Georgian structure was built. The land that Brookby incorporated into the Halls's lands meant that a road called Cockayne Avenue had to be closed. It was long after the 6th baronet Sir Brooke Boothby
lost his young daughter and died broken hearted, that the road was returned to public use (in 1922).
In 1846 on the death of Sir William Boothby, 9th Baronet Boothby, the house was put up for Auction in London. Bidding finished at £27,950 (£1,232,595 today) but this was not enough to presuade the owners to sell.
, John Fox, who within two months had sold the estate off in 46 separate lots. After being briefly owned by a Roman Catholic priest in Ashbourne, the Hall itself was bought by Captain Holland who again sold it in 1858.
The hall was a hotel around 1900. Parts of the Hall were gradually demolished, and little of the Hall remains today.
The Hall is owned by Ashbourne Selfcatering and can be rented as self-catering accommodation for tourists. The parkland opposite Ashbourne Hall was created for the Cockayne Family in the early Tudor period, for hunting. It was developed in the late 17th by the Boothbys into an ornamental park of around 40 acres. Today, what little remains of the Park land is used as a public park and the site of the Ashbourne War Memorial Gates.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
originally built by the Cockayne Family in the 13th century in Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
. The present Hall is part of a largely demolished, Georgian styled Hall build during the 18th century.
The Cockayne Family
The Cockayne Family settled in Ashbourne in the 12th Century and served as lords of the manor. The Cockayne family Ashbourne Hall was built during the reign of Henry IIIHenry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in the 13th Century. It is not known what the original manor looked like. Ashbourne Hall served as their family seat and most of the family were buried in the Cockayne Chapel at nearby Ashbourne Parish Church. The family also owned the nearby manors of Sturston Hall, Bradley and of Pooley hall
Pooley Hall
Pooley Hall is a Manor house built in 1509 on the outskirts of Polesworth, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and a private residence.-The Cockayne Family:...
in Polesworth
Polesworth
Polesworth is a large village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 8,439, inclusive of the continuous sub-villages of St Helena, Dordon and Hall End directly to the south...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. Sir Aston Cockayne
Aston Cockayne
Sir Aston Cockayne, Baronet of Ashbourne was, in his day, a well-known Cavalier and a minor literary figure, now best remembered as a friend of Philip Massinger, John Fletcher, Michael Drayton, Richard Brome, Thomas Randolph, and other writers of his generation.-Biography:Aston Cockayne was the...
, First Baronet Cockayne of Ashbourne, was a cavalier, author and poet. He was friends with Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
from whom he received his baronetcy for support during the civil war. Sir Aston used the Hall as a dower house
Dower house
On an estate, a dower house is usually a moderately large house available for use by the widow of the estate-owner. The widow, often known as the "dowager" usually moves into the dower house from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he...
for his mother, Anne. He lived at his manor of Pooley hall
Pooley Hall
Pooley Hall is a Manor house built in 1509 on the outskirts of Polesworth, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and a private residence.-The Cockayne Family:...
for most of the English Interregnum
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
, joining Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in exile for a short time. Sir Aston gained enormous debts and sold Ashbourne Hall in 1671 to Sir William Boothby in order to pay his creditors.
The Boothby Family
Sir William Boothby bought the Hall in 1671 and his family lived there until the mid 19th century. The hall was modified when additional land was included for Brooke Boothby which was the same year as the Scots arrived.In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at Ashbourne Hall for the night, proclaiming his father as James III in Ashbourne Market.
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet was an English linguist, translator, minor poet and landowner in Derbyshire. He was part of the intellectual and literary circle of Lichfield which included Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin. He welcomed Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Ashbourne circles in 1766 when the...
married in 1784 and leased the hall from his father. He began the restoration of Ashbourne Hall using his wife's dowry to renovate the structure, remodel the parkland, purchase rare plants and obtain works of art. Boothby, like his father before him, was extravagant. He purchased from Joseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright , styled Wright of Derby, was an English landscape and portrait painter. He has been acclaimed as "the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution"....
two paintings of Dovedale
Dovedale by Moonlight
Dovedale by Moonlight is one of five paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby which uses the picturesque valley of Dovedale as its subject. These paintings were sometimes made as pairs with one showing the view by day and the other by moonlight...
, two views of nearby Matlock, two paintings of bridges in Rome as well as an unusual portrait of himself.
The original Hall was demolished during the Boothby's time, and the present Georgian structure was built. The land that Brookby incorporated into the Halls's lands meant that a road called Cockayne Avenue had to be closed. It was long after the 6th baronet Sir Brooke Boothby
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet
Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet was an English linguist, translator, minor poet and landowner in Derbyshire. He was part of the intellectual and literary circle of Lichfield which included Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin. He welcomed Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Ashbourne circles in 1766 when the...
lost his young daughter and died broken hearted, that the road was returned to public use (in 1922).
In 1846 on the death of Sir William Boothby, 9th Baronet Boothby, the house was put up for Auction in London. Bidding finished at £27,950 (£1,232,595 today) but this was not enough to presuade the owners to sell.
Today
The House was subsequently bought by a solicitor from AshbourneAshbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
, John Fox, who within two months had sold the estate off in 46 separate lots. After being briefly owned by a Roman Catholic priest in Ashbourne, the Hall itself was bought by Captain Holland who again sold it in 1858.
The hall was a hotel around 1900. Parts of the Hall were gradually demolished, and little of the Hall remains today.
The Hall is owned by Ashbourne Selfcatering and can be rented as self-catering accommodation for tourists. The parkland opposite Ashbourne Hall was created for the Cockayne Family in the early Tudor period, for hunting. It was developed in the late 17th by the Boothbys into an ornamental park of around 40 acres. Today, what little remains of the Park land is used as a public park and the site of the Ashbourne War Memorial Gates.
See also
- Boothby BaronetsBoothby BaronetsThere have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Boothby, both in the Baronetage of England. One creation is extant as of 2008....
- Cockayne Baronets
- Sir Aston Cockayne, 1st BaronetAston CockayneSir Aston Cockayne, Baronet of Ashbourne was, in his day, a well-known Cavalier and a minor literary figure, now best remembered as a friend of Philip Massinger, John Fletcher, Michael Drayton, Richard Brome, Thomas Randolph, and other writers of his generation.-Biography:Aston Cockayne was the...
- Pooley hallPooley HallPooley Hall is a Manor house built in 1509 on the outskirts of Polesworth, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and a private residence.-The Cockayne Family:...