Lynford Hall
Encyclopedia
Lynford Hall is a neo-Jacobean country house at Mundford
, near Thetford
in the English
county of Norfolk
. It is now an hotel
.
The house was built in 1857-1862 by William Burn
for Stephens Lyne-Stephens
, said at the time to be the richest commoner in England. He was married to the French ballerina Yolande (Pauline) Duvernay
for whom he had a Catholic chapel built out of native flintstone. Stephens died before the estate house was completed, but Yolande retained the house and estate until her death in 1894.
Under later owners, regular guests included Joe Kennedy
, then the United States
ambassador to the United Kingdom
. He was often accompanied on his visits by his sons Joe Jr.
, John
and Robert
. Ernest Hemingway
is said to have propped up Lynford's Royal Wellingtonia bar with Sir James Calder, in the 1930s. Calder was the United Kingdom ambassador to the United States at the time.
Hemingway described shooting on the estate as "like sucking the core out of a fig." It is noteworthy that Hemingway's gradual decline into madness began soon after he left Norfolk
for the last time.
Lynford was gutted by fire in the 1920s destroying the East wing of the building, (which has yet to be replaced). There are still many signs of the fire, the most obvious being that the 3rd floor window surrounds now stand proud of the roof. The government used the Hall as a Hospital
during WW2
. Some carved names can still be found in trees on the grounds from this period. The estate house was also used by American forces during World War II, and they installed a hot water central heating system for the main building. The forestry commission bought the Hall and used it as a training school until the 1960s. By this time the house was poorly maintained and overgrown. In 1960, the house was leased to Peter Widdowson, who, with a partner from London, made some repairs to the house and grounds, operating it as an apartment building, hotel and public house. Later, the Forestry Commission sold the house and kept the land which now makes up a large part of Thetford Forest
.
It was bought by Gerald F. Rand in 1970 who converted the house into a private home cum Motel
, with function facilities. He also created a mobile home
park to the East of the house with some 30 plots. During his ownership the BBC
filmed several programmes including Dad's Army
, 'Allo 'Allo!
, and You Rang, M'Lord?
. After 25 years Rand sold the property on complete with businesses, in the late 1990s.
Lynford has been an hotel and conference center for some years now and has been described by A.C. Grayling as "the Cliveden
of the East".
Mundford
Mundford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated at the intersection of two major routes, the A134 Colchester to King's Lynn road and the A1065 Mildenhall to Fakenham road, about north west of Thetford...
, near Thetford
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
in the English
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...
county of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. It is now an hotel
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...
.
The house was built in 1857-1862 by William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
for Stephens Lyne-Stephens
Stephens Lyne-Stephens
Stephens Lyne-Stephens was an English Tory politician who represented Barnstaple before the 1832 Reform Act. After inheriting a family fortune from glass manufacture in Portugal, he was later reputed to be the richest commoner in England.Lyne-Stephens was returned as Member of Parliament for...
, said at the time to be the richest commoner in England. He was married to the French ballerina Yolande (Pauline) Duvernay
Pauline Duvernay
Pauline Duvernay or Yolande Marie-Louise Duvernay or Yolande Marie Louise de Varnay was a noted French dancer.-Biography:...
for whom he had a Catholic chapel built out of native flintstone. Stephens died before the estate house was completed, but Yolande retained the house and estate until her death in 1894.
Under later owners, regular guests included Joe Kennedy
Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy, Sr. was a prominent American businessman, investor, and government official....
, then the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassador to the United Kingdom
United 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...
. He was often accompanied on his visits by his sons Joe Jr.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy, Jr. was an American bomber pilot during World War II. He was the eldest of nine children born to Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr., and Rose Elizabeth Kennedy....
, John
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Robert
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
is said to have propped up Lynford's Royal Wellingtonia bar with Sir James Calder, in the 1930s. Calder was the United Kingdom ambassador to the United States at the time.
Hemingway described shooting on the estate as "like sucking the core out of a fig." It is noteworthy that Hemingway's gradual decline into madness began soon after he left Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
for the last time.
Lynford was gutted by fire in the 1920s destroying the East wing of the building, (which has yet to be replaced). There are still many signs of the fire, the most obvious being that the 3rd floor window surrounds now stand proud of the roof. The government used the Hall as a Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
during WW2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Some carved names can still be found in trees on the grounds from this period. The estate house was also used by American forces during World War II, and they installed a hot water central heating system for the main building. The forestry commission bought the Hall and used it as a training school until the 1960s. By this time the house was poorly maintained and overgrown. In 1960, the house was leased to Peter Widdowson, who, with a partner from London, made some repairs to the house and grounds, operating it as an apartment building, hotel and public house. Later, the Forestry Commission sold the house and kept the land which now makes up a large part of Thetford Forest
Thetford Forest
Thetford Forest is the largest lowland pine forest in Britain, Thetford Forest Park is located in a region straddling the north of Suffolk and the south of Norfolk in England...
.
It was bought by Gerald F. Rand in 1970 who converted the house into a private home cum Motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
, with function facilities. He also created a mobile home
Mobile home
Mobile homes or static caravans are prefabricated homes built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied...
park to the East of the house with some 30 plots. During his ownership the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
filmed several programmes including Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, 'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6...
, and You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang M'Lord? is a British television series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC...
. After 25 years Rand sold the property on complete with businesses, in the late 1990s.
Lynford has been an hotel and conference center for some years now and has been described by A.C. Grayling as "the Cliveden
Cliveden
Cliveden is an Italianate mansion and estate at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. Set on banks above the River Thames, its grounds slope down to the river. The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor....
of the East".