Brownsover Hall
Encyclopedia
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
house in the old village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Brownsover
Brownsover
Brownsover is a small village about 1½ miles north of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Since 1960, it has been further absorbed by the suburban expansion of Rugby.-'Old' Brownsover:...
, Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, 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...
which has been converted for use as a hotel. It is a Grade II listed building.
Early History (1471-1850)
The manorManorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Brownsover
Brownsover
Brownsover is a small village about 1½ miles north of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Since 1960, it has been further absorbed by the suburban expansion of Rugby.-'Old' Brownsover:...
was owned from 1471 by the Boughton family who were created Boughton Baronets
Boughton Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Boughton and Rouse Boughton family.The Baronetcy of Boughton of Lawford was created in the Baronetage of England on 4 August 1641 for William Boughton of Lawford Hall, near Newbold upon Avon, Warwickshire...
in 1642. In 1780 Sir Theodosius Boughton was murdered by his brother-in-law and the estate passed to his sister Theodosia, and thence to Sir Egerton Leigh, Bt, of the Leigh of West Hall
High Legh
High Legh is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies six miles north west of Knutsford, seven miles east of Warrington and seventeen miles south west of Manchester City Centre....
family. Leigh's daughter and heiress, also Theodosia, married John Ward, who changed his name by Royal Licence
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
to Ward-Boughton-Leigh.
Nineteenth century
In the mid 19th century the old manor house was replaced with the present mansion, designed in a Victorian Gothic style by architect Sir George Gilbert ScottGeorge Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
. William Holland
William Holland (stained glass maker)
William Holland was a 19th century British maker of stained glass and other decorative pieces. His work is represented in churches and stately homes across southern England, Wales, and Ireland. Holland of Warwick windows can be identified by his mark "Guil Holland Vaivic...
designed a a stained glass window and carved tables as frames for Italian marble slabs. He is well known for establishing a Stained Glass and Decorative works at St. John's, Warwick. Other contributers to the new manor were Marshall and Snelgrove of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Eld and Chamberlain, of Midland House, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
relating to the carpets and furnishings that were chosen for the house.
It was the home of the Ward-Boughton-Leighs until the mid 20th century.
Twentieth century
The Hall was the residence (1936-1942) of Sir Frank WhittleFrank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
, credited with the invention of the jet engine.
The hotel is said to be haunted by many ghosts. This has been a local mystery for some years, and many people have had 'experiences'.