Hadham Hall: Hadham House

• Little Hadham, Hertfordshire.
• OSGB – TL 45249 22765.

Iron Age circular enclosure, Medieval moat.

Site first occupied by the Catuvellauni.

1 C                              Before: Abandoned.

1076                            William, Bishop of London, died and William I granted his lands to William of Baud, and made him Lord of Hadham.

1076                            c After: William, Lord of Hadham, built Hadham Hall on approximately 2 acres of land and surrounded by a moat.

11 C                            Site owned by William, Bishop of London.

1440                            Thomas Baud rebuilt the Hall in brick.

15 C                            Late: The Baud family sold the Hall and its land.

1504                            Purchased by William Capel.

1504                            After: William Capel made alterations to the Hall including extending the gateway.

1515                            William Capel died and his widow inherited the Hall.

1522                            Margaret Capel, William’s widow, died and their son, Sir Giles Capel, inherited the Hall.

1572                            Henry Capel lived at the Hall.

1578                            Until: Henry Capel demolished the Hall and built an Elizabethan mansion on the site.

1578                            Henry Capel entertained Elizabeth I in the new Hall.

1632                            Arthur Capel inherited the Hall and he added a Banqueting Hall and Italian Garden.

1641                            Charles I made Arthur Capel Baron of Hadham.

1668                            Arthur’s son, Arthur lived at the Hall, but not for long. He left and it fell into disrepair.

1683                            Arthur Capel died and the Hall was used as a farmhouse. The Banqueting Hall was demolished.

1698                            The Capel family welcomed William III to the Hall.

1720                            The remaining part of the Hall was refurbished.

1900                            George Devereux de Vere Capel, 8^th earl of Essex, sold the Hall and its land to William Minet, who set about restoring it.

1948                            The Minet family sold the Hall to Hertfordshire County Council and they turned it into a school.

1952                            The school opened.

1962                            Excavated.

1990                            20^th July: The school closed.

1992                            Excavated. Roman features found on the site.

1994                            The site was evaluated before units were built.

1994                            Excavated by Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust.

20 C                            All that remained of the building of Thomas Baud is part of the eastern side of the gatehouse, a barn and sections of a cottage.

20 C                            Until: The Hall was leased out.