Howick Hall
Encyclopedia
Howick Hall, a Grade II* listed building in the village of Howick
, Northumberland
, England
, is the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey
. It was the home of the Prime Minister
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey
, after whom the famous tea is named.
Howick has been owned by the Grey family since 1319. A tower house
, which once stood on the site and which was demolished in 1780, was described in a survey of 1715 as 'a most magnificent freestone edifice in a square figure, flat roofed and embattled' and with 'a handsome court and gateway on the front'. The Hall which stands on the site today was built in 1782 by Newcastle architect, William Newton
. The entrance was originally on the south side. The 2nd Earl Grey employed George Wyatt
in 1809 to enlarge the house by moving the entrance to the north side, filling out the front hall and the two quadrants linking the house to its wings, and building the first terrace on the south side.
A fire destroyed the whole of the interior of the main house in 1926, with all of the contents of the top two floors. It was rebuilt in 1928 to designs by Sir Herbert Baker
, who altered the north façade by introducing a portico above the front hall in order to make the house smaller with an open well in the middle, with a rotunda linking the front and back on the ground floor.
The family moved out of the main house shortly after the death of the 5th Earl Grey
. In 1973 his grandson, Charles Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale
, converted the west wing into a home, where he and his family now live.
Howick Hall is the location of the Howick Gardens and Arboretum
Howick, Northumberland
Howick is a village in Northumberland, between Boulmer and Craster. It is just inland from the North Sea, into which Howick burn flows, from Howick Hall...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey
Earl Grey
Earl Grey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. He had already been created Baron Grey, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, in 1801, and was made Viscount Howick, in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as...
. It was the home of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
, after whom the famous tea is named.
Howick has been owned by the Grey family since 1319. A tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, which once stood on the site and which was demolished in 1780, was described in a survey of 1715 as 'a most magnificent freestone edifice in a square figure, flat roofed and embattled' and with 'a handsome court and gateway on the front'. The Hall which stands on the site today was built in 1782 by Newcastle architect, William Newton
William Newton (architect)
William Newton was an English architect who worked mainly in Newcastle on Tyne and the North East of England.He was the son of Robert Newton, a builder...
. The entrance was originally on the south side. The 2nd Earl Grey employed George Wyatt
George Wyatt
George Wyatt may refer to:*George Wyatt , writer on Anne Boleyn, son of rebel Thomas Wyatt* George Harry Wyatt, VC recipient* Greg Wyatt, American sculptor...
in 1809 to enlarge the house by moving the entrance to the north side, filling out the front hall and the two quadrants linking the house to its wings, and building the first terrace on the south side.
A fire destroyed the whole of the interior of the main house in 1926, with all of the contents of the top two floors. It was rebuilt in 1928 to designs by Sir Herbert Baker
Herbert Baker
Sir Herbert Baker was a British architect.Baker was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912....
, who altered the north façade by introducing a portico above the front hall in order to make the house smaller with an open well in the middle, with a rotunda linking the front and back on the ground floor.
The family moved out of the main house shortly after the death of the 5th Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey
Charles Robert Grey, 5th Earl Grey was an English nobleman, the son of Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey.He was the second cousin twice removed of Richard Grey, 6th Earl Grey, the present earl....
. In 1973 his grandson, Charles Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale
Charles Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale
Charles Evelyn Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale, arboriculturalist , is the son of Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale.Howick is well-known as an arboriculturalist and plant collector...
, converted the west wing into a home, where he and his family now live.
Howick Hall is the location of the Howick Gardens and Arboretum
External links
- Howick Hall Gardens website
- The Bathing House Built by the 2nd Earl to allow supervised bathing for his 16 children.