Kneller Hall
Encyclopedia
Kneller Hall is a stately home in the Twickenham
area of west London, and takes its name from Sir Godfrey Kneller
, court painter to British monarchs from Charles II
to George I. Today it houses the Royal Military School of Music
, training musicians for the British Army
’s 23 military bands, having been acquired by the Army in the mid-19th century.
The current building is the third house constructed on this site. The first was built by Edmund Cooke between 1635 and 1646 and in 1664 was the fourth largest house in Twickenham.
After being purchased by Sir Godfrey Kneller in 1709, the first house was demolished and replaced by a new building (reputedly designed by Sir Christopher Wren
). Originally known as Whitton
Hall, it was renamed Kneller Hall by Kneller’s widow after his death.
In 1757, Kneller Hall was sold to Sir Samuel Prime, a prominent London lawyer, who, with his son of the same name, extended the house significantly and landscaped the surrounding grounds. After Samuel Prime junior died in 1813, the hall was sold to Charles Calvert
, Whig
Member of Parliament
for Southwark
from 1812–1832. He further expanded the house (to designs by architect
Philip Hardwick
), adding drawing room
s at the east and west ends of the building.
Calvert died of cholera
in 1832, but his widow continued to live at the Hall until her death around 1845. The hall was then acquired by the UK government as a teacher training college, but needed substantial reconstruction work. Between 1847 and 1850, much of the original Kneller house was found to be dilapidated and was demolished. The Calvert additions formed the wings of the new house, designed by George Mair.
The teacher training college, headed by Frederick Temple
, was not a success – it closed in 1856, after which it was taken over by the War Office
as the base for a school for army bandsmen, being officially opened on 3 March 1857. For its history from this point, see Royal Military School of Music
.
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
area of west London, and takes its name from Sir Godfrey Kneller
Godfrey Kneller
Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to British monarchs from Charles II to George I...
, court painter to British monarchs from Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to George I. Today it houses the Royal Military School of Music
Royal Military School of Music
The Royal Military School of Music in Twickenham, west London, trains musicians for the British Army's twenty-nine bands. It is part of the Corps of Army Music...
, training musicians for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
’s 23 military bands, having been acquired by the Army in the mid-19th century.
The current building is the third house constructed on this site. The first was built by Edmund Cooke between 1635 and 1646 and in 1664 was the fourth largest house in Twickenham.
After being purchased by Sir Godfrey Kneller in 1709, the first house was demolished and replaced by a new building (reputedly designed by Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
). Originally known as Whitton
Whitton, London
Whitton is a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, situated 10.7 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in Central London...
Hall, it was renamed Kneller Hall by Kneller’s widow after his death.
In 1757, Kneller Hall was sold to Sir Samuel Prime, a prominent London lawyer, who, with his son of the same name, extended the house significantly and landscaped the surrounding grounds. After Samuel Prime junior died in 1813, the hall was sold to Charles Calvert
Charles Calvert (MP)
Charles Calvert was a wealthy English brewer and Member of Parliament in the early 19th century.Calvert was the third son of Southwark brewer Felix Calvert, and was educated at Tonbridge and Harrow Schools...
, Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Southwark
Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)
Southwark was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Southwark district of South London. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the English Parliament from 1295 to 1707, to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1812–1832. He further expanded the house (to designs by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Philip Hardwick
Philip Hardwick
Philip Hardwick was an eminent English architect, particularly associated with railway stations and warehouses in London and elsewhere...
), adding drawing room
Drawing room
A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained. The name is derived from the sixteenth-century terms "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber", which remained in use through the seventeenth century, and made its first written appearance in 1642...
s at the east and west ends of the building.
Calvert died of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in 1832, but his widow continued to live at the Hall until her death around 1845. The hall was then acquired by the UK government as a teacher training college, but needed substantial reconstruction work. Between 1847 and 1850, much of the original Kneller house was found to be dilapidated and was demolished. The Calvert additions formed the wings of the new house, designed by George Mair.
The teacher training college, headed by Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
, was not a success – it closed in 1856, after which it was taken over by the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
as the base for a school for army bandsmen, being officially opened on 3 March 1857. For its history from this point, see Royal Military School of Music
Royal Military School of Music
The Royal Military School of Music in Twickenham, west London, trains musicians for the British Army's twenty-nine bands. It is part of the Corps of Army Music...
.