Eydon Hall
Encyclopedia
Eydon Hall is a Palladian
stately home
near the village of Eydon
, in Northamptonshire
. It is a Grade I listed building, and is currently in use as a private residence.
, remains broadly as it was originally designed, with nine bedrooms and four major reception rooms across two main floors. The top floor, with servants quarters, is hidden from view by balustrades around the side of the roof, and there is a large basement. The house has a number of unusual features - perhaps the most interesting being that the large portico
traditional on such houses is placed at the rear, not the front. Each of the four facades are designed differently, with the west facade having a large semi-circular bow in it to contain an oval drawing room.
Eydon Hall was later owned by Colonel Henry Cartwright, member of parliament for South Northamptonshire
from 1858 to 1868, who died there in 1890. In 1913 it was taken by Lady Fermor-Hesketh and after that purchased in 1923 by David Margesson. By 1927 it was occupied by W. G. Waldron, and in 1929 was again announced for sale.
The buyer was Robert Brand
(later Lord Brand); the house passed to his daughter on his death in 1963. In 1982 it returned to the market, and was eventually purchased by the Thoroughbred
racehorse owner/breeder, Gerald W. Leigh. After his death, when his widow chose to sell the estate, it returned to the market in 2004 with an estimated price of around £11m. Much to the surprise of the property industry, it sold within two months for £17m, to Tim Stamper
, the current owner.
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
stately home
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
near the village of Eydon
Eydon
Eydon is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England. It is about north-east of Banbury. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 422.-Buildings:...
, in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. It is a Grade I listed building, and is currently in use as a private residence.
Architecture
The house, built of ironstoneIronstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
, remains broadly as it was originally designed, with nine bedrooms and four major reception rooms across two main floors. The top floor, with servants quarters, is hidden from view by balustrades around the side of the roof, and there is a large basement. The house has a number of unusual features - perhaps the most interesting being that the large portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
traditional on such houses is placed at the rear, not the front. Each of the four facades are designed differently, with the west facade having a large semi-circular bow in it to contain an oval drawing room.
History
The site was originally occupied by Eydon Lodge, which was acquired in 1788 for £6,600 by the Reverend Francis Annesley. He demolished the existing building, and employed James Lewis to create the replacement, completed in 1789.Eydon Hall was later owned by Colonel Henry Cartwright, member of parliament for South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Northamptonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current Member of Parliament is Andrea Leadsom of the Conservative Party.-History:...
from 1858 to 1868, who died there in 1890. In 1913 it was taken by Lady Fermor-Hesketh and after that purchased in 1923 by David Margesson. By 1927 it was occupied by W. G. Waldron, and in 1929 was again announced for sale.
The buyer was Robert Brand
Robert Henry Brand, 1st Baron Brand
Robert Henry Brand, 1st Baron Brand CMG was a British civil servant, businessman, and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.-Background and education:...
(later Lord Brand); the house passed to his daughter on his death in 1963. In 1982 it returned to the market, and was eventually purchased by the Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse owner/breeder, Gerald W. Leigh. After his death, when his widow chose to sell the estate, it returned to the market in 2004 with an estimated price of around £11m. Much to the surprise of the property industry, it sold within two months for £17m, to Tim Stamper
Tim and Chris Stamper
Tim and Chris Stamper are the co-founders of Ashby Computers & Graphics and later Rare...
, the current owner.