Hartham Park
Encyclopedia
Hartham Park is a Georgian
manor house
, located in Hartham near Corsham
, Wiltshire
. Originally designed by James Wyatt
, set today in 50 acres (20.2 ha) it contains one of three remaining stické tennis courts in the world. It was redeveloped as a private business park in the late 1990s, although it retains its Georgian facade and look.
, and owned from the 15th century by the Goddard family. In 1790, following the death of her husband Commodore Sir William James, Chairman of the East India Company
, Lady Anne James's (née Goddard) decided to move from Eltham, London
to Wiltshire
. She commissioned architect James Wyatt
to remove the existing farm house and redevelop the property. Completed in 1795, Lady James died before hand over. Although her house is at the centre of the current property, it is largely obscured or altered as a result of later developments.
Subsequently leased out, in 1800 it was the birth place of Sir Alexander Malet
, who later become Governor of Bombay.
-exile Michael Joy, who through his sympathies for the British during the American War of Independence found it impossible to remain in North America
. In the 1830s his son Henry Hall Joy undertook a land swap with Sir Benjamin Hobhouse, in which he took ownership of the adjacent Hartham House, which had historically been owned by the Duckett family. In his subsequent redevelopment of the estate, Hall Joy demolished Hartham House, and added an ice house to Hartham Park, which subsequently served as a air raid shelter during World War II
. He also incorporated the gates of Hartham House into the entrance of Hartham park, so that the Duckett family crest still appears on the iron entrance gates.
Sir John became MP for Chippenham
in 1892, and a Member of London County Council
from 1898 to 1904. He also served in the Second Boer War
as aide-de-campe to Commander in Chief Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
, winning a DSO
in 1900. He then chaired the Islington Commission
. Appointed Governor of New Zealand
in 1910, he was raised to the peerage as Lord Islington. After two years he returned to become first Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and then Under Secretary of State for India.
From the start of his ownership, Baron Islington began to remodel Hartham Park. The house was remodelled and the grounds landscaped by Harold Peto
including a Dutch water garden
, subsequently largely overbuilt in a 1960s redevelopment. Hartham also became a focal point for political and recreational life in North Wiltshire, with records showing numerous stays for his friends Winston Churchill
and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
, the third son of Queen Victoria who enjoyed the local game
shooting
.
, Essex
in 1877, courts were built throughout the British Empire
, and particularly in country houses. But after World War One, no further courts were built and its popularity wained. Today Hartham Parks court is one of only three remaining in the world, the others being located at:
. family of gin
makers, who took up residence during the Second World War
. From the time of the Battle of Britain
onwards, the upper floors were used as dormitories housing one hundred members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
from the Royal Air Force
's No. 10 Group
, RAF Fighter Command
, based at the nearby RAF Rudloe Manor
.
Sold again in the 1960s, the house has since been used as corporate offices, initially as the headquarters of the Bath and Portland Stone
company.
There is public access to Jack's Restaurant & Bar, while the stique tennis court is run by a club. Public access to the house is only possible for pre-booked groups of between 10 and 40 people.
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
manor house
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...
, located in Hartham near Corsham
Corsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Originally designed by James Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
, set today in 50 acres (20.2 ha) it contains one of three remaining stické tennis courts in the world. It was redeveloped as a private business park in the late 1990s, although it retains its Georgian facade and look.
History
Hartham Park is first recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, and owned from the 15th century by the Goddard family. In 1790, following the death of her husband Commodore Sir William James, Chairman of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, Lady Anne James's (née Goddard) decided to move from Eltham, 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...
to Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. She commissioned architect James Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
to remove the existing farm house and redevelop the property. Completed in 1795, Lady James died before hand over. Although her house is at the centre of the current property, it is largely obscured or altered as a result of later developments.
Subsequently leased out, in 1800 it was the birth place of Sir Alexander Malet
Malet Baronets
The Malet Baronetcy, of Wilbury in the County of Wiltshire, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 24 February 1791 for Charles Malet, for diplomatic services in India. The second Baronet was Minister to the German Confederation from 1852 to 1866. The fourth Baronet was...
, who later become Governor of Bombay.
Joy family
In 1816, the estate was purchased from the Goddard family trust by AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-exile Michael Joy, who through his sympathies for the British during the American War of Independence found it impossible to remain in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In the 1830s his son Henry Hall Joy undertook a land swap with Sir Benjamin Hobhouse, in which he took ownership of the adjacent Hartham House, which had historically been owned by the Duckett family. In his subsequent redevelopment of the estate, Hall Joy demolished Hartham House, and added an ice house to Hartham Park, which subsequently served as a air raid shelter during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He also incorporated the gates of Hartham House into the entrance of Hartham park, so that the Duckett family crest still appears on the iron entrance gates.
Poynder family
In the 1850s, the estate was bought by Thomas Henry Allen Poynder, and passed on his death to his brother, William Henry Poynder. On his death, the estate passed to his nephew, John Dickson Poynder, who on the death of his uncle Sir Alexander Collingwood Thomas Dickson, became the sixth baronet Dickson of Hardingham Hall.Sir John became MP for Chippenham
Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chippenham is a parliamentary constituency, abolished in 1983 but recreated in 2010, and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in 1892, and a Member of London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
from 1898 to 1904. He also served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
as aide-de-campe to Commander in Chief Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Field Marshal Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British military commander.-Early life:...
, winning a DSO
DSO
DSO may refer to:Decorations* Distinguished Service Order refers to a number of decorationsMusic* Dallas Symphony Orchestra* Dark Star Orchestra* Deathspell Omega, a French black metal band* Detroit Symphony Orchestra...
in 1900. He then chaired the Islington Commission
Islington Commission
The Islington Commission was the public name of a 1912 Royal Commission on Public Servcies in India under the Chairmanship of Lord Islington....
. Appointed Governor of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1910, he was raised to the peerage as Lord Islington. After two years he returned to become first Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and then Under Secretary of State for India.
From the start of his ownership, Baron Islington began to remodel Hartham Park. The house was remodelled and the grounds landscaped by Harold Peto
Harold Peto
Harold Ainsworth Peto was a British landscape architect and garden designer, who worked in Britain and in Provence, France.-Biography:...
including a Dutch water garden
Water garden
Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens, are a type of man-made water feature. A water garden is defined as any interior or exterior landscape or architectural element whose primarily purpose is to house, display, or propagate a particular species or variety of aquatic plant...
, subsequently largely overbuilt in a 1960s redevelopment. Hartham also became a focal point for political and recreational life in North Wiltshire, with records showing numerous stays for his friends Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was a member of the shared British and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha royal family who served as the Governor General of Canada, the 10th since Canadian Confederation.Born the seventh child and third son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and...
, the third son of Queen Victoria who enjoyed the local game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
.
Stické tennis
In 1904, Lord Islington commissioned the construction of a wooden Stické Tennis court, north west of the house. Started in artillery building at the gunnery range at ShoeburynessShoeburyness
Shoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1877, courts were built throughout the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, and particularly in country houses. But after World War One, no further courts were built and its popularity wained. Today Hartham Parks court is one of only three remaining in the world, the others being located at:
- Knightshayes CourtKnightshayes CourtKnightshayes Court is a Victorian country house in Tiverton, Devon, England, designed by William Burges for the Heathcoat-Amory family. Nikolaus Pevsner describes it as "an eloquent expression of High Victorian ideals in a country house of moderate size." The house is Grade I listed as of 12 May...
in Tiverton, DevonDevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England - Viceroy of India's summer palace, now the Indian Institute of Advanced StudyIndian Institute of Advanced StudyThe Indian Institute of Advanced Study is a prestigious research institute based in Shimla, India. It was set up by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 1964 and it started functioning from October 20, 1965....
, ShimlaShimlaShimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
, Himachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
The Second World War and after
Lord Islington sold Hatham Park following his purchase of Rushbrooke Hall, Suffolk in 1922. Subsequently,Hartham Park estate was purchased by the J&W Nicholson & CoJ&W Nicholson & Co
J&W Nicholson & Co was a London-based gin maker. Founded in 1730s during the Gin Craze, the company stopped making gin in England 1941, and closed its premises Three Mills in 1966....
. family of gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
makers, who took up residence during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. From the time of the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
onwards, the upper floors were used as dormitories housing one hundred members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
from the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
's No. 10 Group
No. 10 Group RAF
No. 10 Group of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. On 8 May of the next year it was transferred to South-Western Area. In 1919 it was transferred to Coastal Area where it remained until it was disbanded on 18 January 1932....
, RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
, based at the nearby RAF Rudloe Manor
RAF Rudloe Manor
RAF Rudloe Manor, formerly RAF Box, was a Royal Air Force station located north-east of Bath, United Kingdom between the towns of Box and Corsham, in Wiltshire...
.
Sold again in the 1960s, the house has since been used as corporate offices, initially as the headquarters of the Bath and Portland Stone
Bath Stone
Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
company.
Present
Bought in 1997, Hartham Park was redeveloped into a business park. The main house and adjoining buildings enclose 90 sub-let serviced offices, to which all have access to Hartham Park Business Centre.There is public access to Jack's Restaurant & Bar, while the stique tennis court is run by a club. Public access to the house is only possible for pre-booked groups of between 10 and 40 people.