Lainston House
Encyclopedia
Lainston House is a 17th century country house hotel in Winchester
, Hampshire
in the south of England
.
to build a palace at Winchester
, renowned English architect Sir Christopher Wren
started work on the site in 1683 by building on the grounds of an earlier mediaeval dwelling. It became known as the dwelling place of Charles and his mistress Louise de Keroualle before he died in 1685.
Half a century later, Lainston House became the scene of a major societal scandal. Lainston House's private chapel became the location of the secret late-night marriage between Elizabeth Chudleigh and Augustus Hervey
, in August 1744. Maintaining privacy about the ceremony lest their employment be endangered, their union did not last long and Elizabeth went on to marry Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
. The validity of the ceremony held at Lainston House's chapel became the focal point of bigamy charges and legal proceedings against Elizabeth which pursued her until her death in 1788.
Lainston House's tree-lined grounds also contain the longest line of limes in England (9/10ths of a mile), some dating back to 1716. The trees which were planted across the grounds after the influence of gardener and diarist Sir John Evelyn
.
Lainston House and its parkland was sold off from private ownership in the 1980s, and currently operates as a hotel.
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in the south of 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...
.
History
Lainston House is noteworthy for several reasons throughout history. Commissioned by Charles IICharles 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 build a palace at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, renowned English architect 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...
started work on the site in 1683 by building on the grounds of an earlier mediaeval dwelling. It became known as the dwelling place of Charles and his mistress Louise de Keroualle before he died in 1685.
Half a century later, Lainston House became the scene of a major societal scandal. Lainston House's private chapel became the location of the secret late-night marriage between Elizabeth Chudleigh and Augustus Hervey
Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol
Augustus John Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol, PC was a British admiral and politician.-Naval career:As a young man, he entered the Navy, where his promotion was rapid...
, in August 1744. Maintaining privacy about the ceremony lest their employment be endangered, their union did not last long and Elizabeth went on to marry Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
General Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, KG was the only son of William Pierrepont, Earl of Kingston and his wife Rachel Bayntun ....
. The validity of the ceremony held at Lainston House's chapel became the focal point of bigamy charges and legal proceedings against Elizabeth which pursued her until her death in 1788.
Lainston House's tree-lined grounds also contain the longest line of limes in England (9/10ths of a mile), some dating back to 1716. The trees which were planted across the grounds after the influence of gardener and diarist Sir John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
.
Lainston House and its parkland was sold off from private ownership in the 1980s, and currently operates as a hotel.