Kemerton Court
Encyclopedia
Kemerton Court is the principal manor house
of the village of Kemerton
, near Tewkesbury
in Gloucestershire
.
The manor was granted by King Henry III
to Sir Robert de Musgrove (or Mucegros) in 1240. Since that time, apart from the brief period 1918–1949, it has remained in the possession of his descendants and their relatives, passing through the families of Beauchamp, Lygon of Madresfield
, Parsons and Darby. The current owner is 23rd in direct descent from Sir Robert de Musgrove. A celebrated 15th century owner was John Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp of Powick, Lord High Treasurer
of England.
The house is built of local Cotswold stone
, dating from the late 16th century onwards. In the early 18th century a 9-bay baroque
façade of some elegance was added by the squire, John Parsons III (1649–1722). Thomas White of Worcester, has been suggested as the architect.
Kemerton Court is set in parkland and is surrounded by a farming estate of around 1250 acres (5.1 km²). It is owned by conservationist Adrian Darby
OBE, president of Plantlife
and former chairman of the RSPB. He is married to Lady Meriel Darby, daughter of the former Prime Minister
, Alec Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home
, who was a frequent visitor to the Court.
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...
of the village of Kemerton
Kemerton
Kemerton is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire in England. It lies at the extreme south of the county in the local government district of Wychavon. Until boundary changes in 1931, it formed part of neighbouring Gloucestershire, and it remains in the Diocese of Gloucester...
, near Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
The manor was granted by King Henry III
Henry 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...
to Sir Robert de Musgrove (or Mucegros) in 1240. Since that time, apart from the brief period 1918–1949, it has remained in the possession of his descendants and their relatives, passing through the families of Beauchamp, Lygon of Madresfield
Madresfield Court
Madresfield Court is a country house in England, in the village of Madresfield near Malvern in Worcestershire. The stately home, near the village centre has been the ancestral home for several centuries of the Lygon family, whose eldest sons took the title of Earl Beauchamp from 1815 until 1979,...
, Parsons and Darby. The current owner is 23rd in direct descent from Sir Robert de Musgrove. A celebrated 15th century owner was John Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp of Powick, Lord High Treasurer
Lord High Treasurer
The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
of England.
The house is built of local Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
, dating from the late 16th century onwards. In the early 18th century a 9-bay baroque
English Baroque
English Baroque is a term sometimes used to refer to the developments in English architecture that were parallel to the evolution of Baroque architecture in continental Europe between the Great Fire of London and the Treaty of Utrecht ....
façade of some elegance was added by the squire, John Parsons III (1649–1722). Thomas White of Worcester, has been suggested as the architect.
Kemerton Court is set in parkland and is surrounded by a farming estate of around 1250 acres (5.1 km²). It is owned by conservationist Adrian Darby
Adrian Darby
Adrian Marten George Darby, OBE is a British conservationist and academic. He is the son of Col. Cyril Darby MC, of Kemerton Court, Gloucestershire and Monica Dunne, daughter of Marten Dunne, MP of Gatley Park, Herefordshire...
OBE, president of Plantlife
Plantlife
Plantlife is a wild plant conservation charity. As of 2007, its membership was 10,500 and it owned 23 nature reserves around the UK.-History:It was founded in 1989 with its first President being Professor David Bellamy. By 1999 it had 22 nature reserves....
and former chairman of the RSPB. He is married to Lady Meriel Darby, daughter of the former 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...
, Alec Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
, who was a frequent visitor to the Court.