Langtry Manor
Encyclopedia
The Langtry Manor is a country house hotel
located in Bournemouth
, England
. The house was built in 1877 by Edward VII for his mistress Lillie Langtry
.
actress born on the island of Jersey
. A renowned beauty, she gained attention in 19th century London society and had a number of prominent lovers, including the future King Edward VII. After a very public 'courtship' the couple embarked on an exclusive affair. The Prince soon decided that he wanted to have somewhere that they could get away from prying eyes where they could relax and be themselves.
The Prince bought a plot of land in a secluded area of Bournemouth's East Cliff and told Lilly that she could design a home for them. Where others would have preferred jewellery and gowns Lillie was very practical and considered land and property to have lasting value. Lillie designed the royal lovenest, adding personal touches: The foundation stone shows ELL (Emilie LeBreton Langtry) and 1877; The Kings Chamber had a lofty ceiling
specially designed to disperse his cigar smoke; The walls featured original paintings and the couple's love of the theatre
was reflected in the carved oak fireplace
which featured hand painted tiles with scenes from Shakespeare. Lilly named the new home The Red House.
A controversial feature within the building is a stained glass window dated 1881 on a staircase commemorating the birth of her daughter Jeanne Marie who was born in Paris and attended by the Prince's own Physician. Rumour has it that the child was fathered by Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Prince's Nephew, who soon after rose swiftly through the ranks of the British navy. Jeanne Marie was brought up as Lillie's niece and was only told who her father was on the eve of her wedding day.
Lilly did not enjoy the house for long. In 1880 the Prince is reputed to have fallen out with Lillie during a fancy dress dinner party where she came down in the same outfit as him and when he protested that it wasn't the done thing she put ice down his back. Lillie refused to apologise as advised by her friends and overnight became a social outcast. Lillie (on the verge of bankruptcy
) realised that she needed a job and embarked on an acting career eventually taking her to the USA. The house was never used by Lilly or the Prince again.
) where Edward and Lilly stayed while the Red House were being built. Today the Lodge is used as a conference hall
and is licensed to hold wedding
and civil ceremonies. In the main hotel there is a small display (the 1877 Collection) which holds memorabilia and artefacts
of Lilly Langtry and the manor's history.
In 2006 Langtry Manor again rose to public attention after appearing as the subject of the Five television series The Hotel Inspector
. The hotel went onto win the 'Best Small Hotel' award as part of the first Bournemouth Tourism Awards.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
located in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, 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...
. The house was built in 1877 by Edward VII for his mistress Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry , usually spelled Lily Langtry when she was in the U.S., born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a British actress born on the island of Jersey...
.
The Red House
Lillie Langtry (born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton), was a highly successful BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress born on the island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. A renowned beauty, she gained attention in 19th century London society and had a number of prominent lovers, including the future King Edward VII. After a very public 'courtship' the couple embarked on an exclusive affair. The Prince soon decided that he wanted to have somewhere that they could get away from prying eyes where they could relax and be themselves.
The Prince bought a plot of land in a secluded area of Bournemouth's East Cliff and told Lilly that she could design a home for them. Where others would have preferred jewellery and gowns Lillie was very practical and considered land and property to have lasting value. Lillie designed the royal lovenest, adding personal touches: The foundation stone shows ELL (Emilie LeBreton Langtry) and 1877; The Kings Chamber had a lofty ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
specially designed to disperse his cigar smoke; The walls featured original paintings and the couple's love of the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
was reflected in the carved oak fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
which featured hand painted tiles with scenes from Shakespeare. Lilly named the new home The Red House.
A controversial feature within the building is a stained glass window dated 1881 on a staircase commemorating the birth of her daughter Jeanne Marie who was born in Paris and attended by the Prince's own Physician. Rumour has it that the child was fathered by Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Prince's Nephew, who soon after rose swiftly through the ranks of the British navy. Jeanne Marie was brought up as Lillie's niece and was only told who her father was on the eve of her wedding day.
Lilly did not enjoy the house for long. In 1880 the Prince is reputed to have fallen out with Lillie during a fancy dress dinner party where she came down in the same outfit as him and when he protested that it wasn't the done thing she put ice down his back. Lillie refused to apologise as advised by her friends and overnight became a social outcast. Lillie (on the verge of bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
) realised that she needed a job and embarked on an acting career eventually taking her to the USA. The house was never used by Lilly or the Prince again.
Langtry Manor Hotel
In the 1970s the Howard family renovated the Red House into the Langtry Manor Hotel, and restored many of the original items within the building including some of the original architecture and decor. The hotel complex includes Langtry Lodge (a smaller Victorian house originally owned by Lord DerbyEdward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby
Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Stanley from 1844 to 1869, was a British statesman...
) where Edward and Lilly stayed while the Red House were being built. Today the Lodge is used as a conference hall
Conference hall
A conference hall or conference room is a room provided for singular events such as business conferences and meetings. It is commonly found at large hotels and convention centers though many other establishments, including even hospitals, have one. Sometimes other rooms are modified for large...
and is licensed to hold wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
and civil ceremonies. In the main hotel there is a small display (the 1877 Collection) which holds memorabilia and artefacts
Cultural artifact
A cultural artifact is a term used in the social sciences, particularly anthropology, ethnology, and sociology for anything created by humans which gives information about the culture of its creator and users...
of Lilly Langtry and the manor's history.
In 2006 Langtry Manor again rose to public attention after appearing as the subject of the Five television series The Hotel Inspector
The Hotel Inspector
The Hotel Inspector is an observational documentary television series which airs on British terrestrial television station, Channel 5. The series is also broadcast by networks around the world....
. The hotel went onto win the 'Best Small Hotel' award as part of the first Bournemouth Tourism Awards.