Horseheath Hall

Horseheath

 

Scheduled Monument –  Monument Number 376957

 

Medieval moat.

 

1199                            Possibly held by Walter de Capeles.

1217                            Walters lands were restored to him following a rebellion.

1247                            Held by Sir Peter of Melling, through his wife, Joan.

1259                            Held by Sir James de Audley

1272                            Sir James de Audley died and was succeeded by his son, James.

1273                            James died and was succeeded by his son Henry.

1276                            Henry died and William inherited. The widow of Robert de Beauchamp of Somerset, Alice, stated that James Senior) had granted the manor to her.

1278                            William released the manor to Alice and her son, James.

1282                            Alice died.

1286                            c: James died. He had taken the name Audley, and left his son, a minor, to inherit the hall.

1302-1305                   Occupied by Hugh de Audley.

1313                            The manor was handed back to Alice’s grandson, James.

1335                            James died.

1336-1362                   James’ widow, Margaret, held it for their son, William.

1365                            c: William died and his brother, Thomas inherited.

1372                            Thomas died leaving a young son, James, who died young.

1378                            The  manor passed to Thomas’ daughter, Elizabeth.

1384                            Elizabeth and her husband, John Rose held the manor.

1387                            Elizabeth left it to her former guardian, John Sibill and his wife, Joan

1395                            Held by Sir Philip Sinclair, great grandson of James Audley.

1397                            Bought by William Allington

1398                            c: Philip de Clare, Knight, Horseheath Hall.

14 C                            Late: Acquired by the Allington family.

1446                            William Allington died and his son, William, inherited the Hall.

1448                            William Allington was licensed to enclose 320 acres to form a park.

1459                            William was succeeded by his son, John.

1480                            John died and his son, William succeeded him.

1483                            c: Sir Giles Allington was born at the old hall.

1485                            Sir William Allington of Horseheath was appointed Commissioner of Array for Cambridgeshire by Richard III. William was killed at Bosworth Field. His son, Giles, was a minor aged two, so his widow (and later with her second husband, William Cheyne) held the Hall.

1513                            Giles was knighted and held the Hall.

1521                            Giles died and was succeeded by his son, Giles.

1530                            Sir Giles Allington was knighted a Whitehall Palace by Henry VIII.

1541                            Giles was Knighted.

1544                            Sir Giles Allington had fought with Henry VIII at Boulogne-sur-mer and bought back a large clock as spoils, which he hung over his offices at the Hall.

1550                            Sir Giles Allington was granted permission to enclose 400 acres and form a deer park.

1578                            Sir Giles entertained Elizabeth I at the Hall on her way from London to Norwich.

1586                            Sir Giles died and was succeeded by his (great) grandson Giles Alington.

1600                            Sir William’s eldest son died.

1603                            Sir Giles was Knighted.

1638                            Sir Giles Allington died and was succeeded by his son, William.

1642                            William received and Irish Barony – Baron Alington of Killard.

1648                            William died and his younger son, William inherited.

1662                            Sir Roger Pratt started on the rebuilding of the Hall.

1663                            13^th June: The foundations of the new hall were laid.

1663-1665                   Hall rebuilt on an earlier moated site for William, Baron Allington, by Sir Roger Pratt.

1682                            William was created a Baron.

1685                            William died and his son, Giles, a minor, succeeded him

1688                            Enlarged.

1691                            Giles died, as a minor, and without issue.

1700                            The Hall was sold to cover bequeaths to William’s daughters, Juliana, Diana and Katherine.

 1704                           Sold to John Bramley for £42,000 . He then spent £30,000 on the Hall.

1707                            John Bramley died and his son, John, MP, succeeded him

1718                            John Bromley, MP, died and his son, Henry, a minor, succeeded him.

1718-1725                   Henry employed William Kent to refurbish the interior of the Hall and to landscape the gardens.

1725-1741                   c: Henry was MP for Cambridgeshire.

1741                            John Bramley’s grandson was created Lord Montfort of Horseheath.

1755                            Henry, Lord Montfort, committed suicide and his son, Thomas, succeeded him.

1762                            Thomas added an orangery to the gardens.

1770                            The park covered 740 ha.

1773                            Henry Bramley, Lord Montfort, was born.

1775                            Lord Montfort stripped the Hall of pictures and furniture.

1776                            Lord Montfort sold the estate. It was of four storey’s, had an entrance hall which measured 40 ft by 48 ft, a withdrawing room measuring 40 ft by 25 ft, two staircases, a private chapel, five other rooms each measuring 21 ft square including three bedrooms. The building measured 140 ft by 76 ft and the walls were 44 ft high. The staircase measured 22 ft wide and 44 ft long.

1777                            Thomas sold the Hall to Stanlake Batson. Mostly pulled down, only the shell was left. Wrought iron gates went to St. John’s College and Trinity College, Cambridge. The park was disparked.

1792                            The remains of the Hall were mostly demolished.

*                                  Bricks from the Hall were used to build local houses, including part of Horseheath Lodge.

18 C                            Stood in a park of 870 acres.

1940                            No visible remains.

1950                            Field Investigation.

1977                            Field Investigation.

1998-2000                   Surveyed by J. Cawse, Haverhill and District Archaeological Group.