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Hanbury Hall
Hanbury Hall 2016.jpg
General information
Type Stately home
Architectural style Queen Anne
Location Hanbury, Worcestershire
Coordinates 52°16′18″N 2°05′00″W / 52.271788°N 2.083261°W / 52.271788; -2.083261
Completed c. 1706
Owner National Trust

Hanbury Hall is a large 18th-century stately home standing in parkland at Hanbury, Worcestershire. The main range has two storeys and is built of red brick in the Queen Anne style. It is a Grade I listed building, and the associated Orangery and Long Gallery pavilion ranges are listed Grade II*. It is managed by the National Trust and is open to the public.

History

Hanbury Hall 1701
The disputed date above the entrance.

18th Century

Hanbury Hall was built by the wealthy chancery lawyer Thomas Vernon in the early 18th century. Thomas Vernon was the great-grandson of the first Vernon to come to Hanbury, Worcestershire, Rev Richard Vernon (1549–1628). Rev Richard and his descendants slowly accumulated land in Hanbury, including the manor, bought by Edward Vernon in 1630, but it was Thomas, through his successful legal practice, who added most to estates, which amounted to nearly 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) in his successor Bowater Vernon's day.

Hanbury Hall is thought to stand on the site of the previous mansion, Spernall Hall, and Thomas Vernon first describes himself as ‘of Hanbury Hall’ in 1706, and this and other evidence leads to a likely completion date of about 1706. The date of 1701 above the front door is thought to be a Victorian embellishment, but no building accounts are known to exist.

Although Hanbury Hall appears to be of a very uniform style, the rear wall is clearly of a different and rather earlier style, and may mark the first phase of a building campaign when Thomas Vernon and his wife Mary first came into possession of Spernall Hall in 1692 when his bachelor uncle John Vernon died.

The original plan of the Hall had a large undivided central hall with the main staircase leading off it, with many rather small rooms in the corner pavilions and north range – the south range was given over mainly to service rooms. The 18th-century Worcestershire historian Treadway Nash, in his Collections for the History of Worcestershire, wrote “Here is a large handsome house built by Counsellor Vernon about the year 1710 when a bad style of architecture prevailed; many windows and doors, rooms small, many closets, few arched cellars, large stables and offices in full view, are marks of that time”.

When the heiress Emma Vernon (1754–1818) married Henry Cecil, 1st Marquess of Exeter in 1776, Cecil clearly was of the same opinion, as he remodelled the interior (other than the great hall) creating larger rooms and enlarging the north east pavilion. On the south façade, having removed a doorway he repositioned all the windows to lie under their first floor equivalent. On the south side there had been large formal gardens, clearly shown in Dougharty's perspective drawing contained in the estate maps of the 1730s, and Cecil swept all these away (including the farm buildings in front of the Hall) and landscaped the park in the fashion of the time – he would have had contact with Capability Brown when being brought up by his uncle 9th Earl of Exeter at Burghley House.

Emma had given birth a couple of times but none of them lived past infancy. The local vicar in Hanbury at that time, William Sneyd, became a regular guest at Hanbury Hall, and unknown to Mr. Cecil, the vicar and Emma were in a full-blown secret relationship, with Emma often sneaking away from her home to visit her lover. They were so desperate to be together freely that they hatched a plan to elope together. She was refused access by her ex-husband as he sold off all the contents of the house. After he died in 1804, Emma finally moved into her childhood home with her third husband. Philips. She later died in 1818. There have been many sightings of her ghost, dressed all in black, moving through the same route she used to take from Hanbury Hall to visit her lover the vicar.

19th Century

Hanburyhallmorris edited
Hanbury Hall circa 1880

Following Henry and Emma's divorce in 1791 the contents were all sold, and the house remained empty until Henry's death in 1804, when Emma and her third husband, John Phillips, were able to regain possession. As the house had lain unoccupied for so long, many repairs had to be carried out at that time. Emma died in 1818 and left her second cousin, Thomas Shrawley Vernon (1759-1825), as the heir to her estate after the death of her husband John Phillips. Phillips married again and had two daughters in Hanbury before finally moving out in 1829. From then, the eldest son of Emma's heir, Thomas Tayler Vernon (1792–1835), was able to occupy it. His grandson Harry Foley Vernon (1834–1920) MP, was created 1st Baronet of Hanbury in 1885.

20th Century

Hanbury Hall parterre 01
The rear of the hall, viewed across the parterre.

Harry Vernon was succeeded by his son Sir (Bowater) George Hamilton Vernon (1865–1940), 2nd Baronet. Sir George led an unhappy life, separating from his wife Doris, and spending his last 10 years living with his secretary and companion Ruth Powick, who later changed her name by deed poll to Vernon. During this time the agricultural depression led to a reduction in rental income, and Hanbury Hall suffered a lack of care.

In poor health, Sir George Vernon took his own life in 1940. There were no further heirs to the Baronetcy which became extinct. Sir George's estranged wife was able to move back in after his death, dying there in 1962.

National Trust

Negotiations led to the National Trust having the reversion, and after making essential repairs on Lady Vernon's death, the hall was let to tenants and opened to the public on a restricted basis. In recent years the hall has been managed more commercially and is now open daily. The site received 227,624 visitors during 2019.

House

The main house is in the Queen Anne style, and has two stories plus an attic. It has red Flemish bond ashlar brickwork, with a tiled hipped roof, and large brick chimney stacks. The main house was listed by English Heritage on 29 December 1952, and is a Grade I listed building.

Paintings

Hanbury Hall staircase - finding of Achilles
Odysseus finds Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes. This mural painting by Thornhill commands the main staircase.

A notable feature of Hanbury Hall is the painting of the staircase, hall ceiling, and other rooms by the English painter Sir James Thornhill. They include a small representation of Rev Henry Sacheverell being cast to the furies – this relates to an incident in 1710 when Sacheverell, a Tory, was put on trial for sedition by the Whig government, and dates the paintings to that year. The focus of the paintings around the stairwell is the life of the Greek hero Achilles, as told by a range of classical sources. They are surmounted by a large representation of the Olympian gods on the ceiling.

List of paintings

Title Year Artist
A Basket of Flowers 1768 Peter Brown
A Bronze Urn with Flowers on a Ledge c. 1728 Pieter Hardimé
A Classical Landscape c. 1689 manner of Jacob de Heusch
A Frigate and other Vessels in a Squall 1830s George Webster
A Still Life with Lobster 1675 Jan van den Hecke
A Vase with Flowers on a Ledge c. 1671 attributed to Maria van Oosterwyck
A Young Child with a Dog, possibly Lucy Vernon with 'Spot' c. 1849 British (English) School
A Young Girl c. 1849 manner of Jean-Bapiste Greuze
A Young Girl holding a Sheaf of Corn with Cornflowers (possibly Emma Cornewall, Mrs Thomas Vernon [1711-1777]), representing Summer possibly Swiss School
A Young Woman with a Basket of Fruit (after Salome with the Head of John the Baptist) c. 1664 after Simone Pignoni
Admiral, Sir Thomas Foley GCB (1757-1833) (after Sir William Beechey) 1849 Henry Weigall
An Italian Peasant Group outside a House 1890s Oliver Rhys
An Unknown Gentleman British (English) School
An Unknown Gentleman (possibly William Vernon of Horsington [1784 - 1751]) British (English) School
An Unknown Lady possibly Jane Carter, Mrs Richard Vernon British (English) School
An Unknown Man (possibly William Vernon [1684-1751] of Horsington) 1720 attributed to Enoch Seeman the younger
An Unknown Woman in Black, possibly Phoebe Bowater, Mrs William Vernon 1729 John Vanderbank
Auda Letitia Vernon, later Mrs T.A.Hill (1862-1957) as a Child 1864 Henry Weigall
Bowater Vernon (1683-1735) 1734 John Vanderbank
Bowater Vernon (1683-1735) with Hanbury Hall and its Formal Garden 1734 John Wootton
Calves and Poultry c. 1911 Walter Hunt
Captain Thomas Vernon (1686-1734) attributed to Enoch Seeman the younger
Doris Allen, Lady Vernon (1883 -1962) 1900 John Collier
Elizabeth Tayler, Mrs Thomas Shrawley Vernon (d. 1850) British (English) School
Ellen Vernon, Mrs Henry Bearcroft (1831-1902) of Mere Hall, Hanbury 1850 British (English) School
Emily Mary Ann Chambers, Mrs John Herbert Foley (1771 - 1858) c. 1786 after George Romney
Emma Cornewall, Mrs Thomas Vernon (1711-1777) Vera Stanley Alder
Emma Cornewall, Mrs Thomas Vernon (1731-1777) attributed to Joshua Reynolds
Flowers and Fruit heaped on a Marble Ledge with a Bird's Nest c. 1782 probably by Jan van Os
Flowers in a Basket c. 1749 British (English) School
Flowers in a Basket c. 1677 Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer
Flowers in a Glass Bowl c. 1694 Ernst Stuven
Flowers in a Glass Vase c. 1652 possibly Jan Philip van Thielen
Jane Cornwallis, Mrs Bowater Vernon (1703-1760) 1734 John Vanderbank
Jessie Anna Letitia Foley, Mrs Thomas Tayler Vernon (1805 - 1840) British (English) School
King George I (1660–1727) 1715 British (English) School
Lady Caroline Isabella Howard, later Lady Cawdor (1771-1848), as a Young Girl (after an original of 1778) 1780 after Joshua Reynolds
Lady Georgina Sophia Baillie-Hamilton, Lady Foley (1839-1928) (profile perdu) 1860 possibly Henry Weigall
Lady Georgina Sophia Baillie-Hamilton, Lady Vernon (1839-1928) British (English) School
Mary Keck, Mrs Thomas Vernon (d.1733) John Vanderbank
Master Watkin Wynn, later Sir Watkin Williams-Wynne 5th Bt (1772-1840), as the Infant Saint John the Baptist c. 1814 after Joshua Reynolds
Miss Alcock British (English) School
Peacocks and Farmyard Fowls with a Magpie in a Landscape c. 1675 Melchior d'Hondecoeter
Possibly Jane Carter, Mrs Richard Vernon (d. 1697) manner of Peter Lely
Rachel Jeffreys, Mrs Thomas Vernon attributed to Enoch Seeman the younger
River Landscape with Boat, Swans, House and a Church c. 1749 British (English) School
Sir Harry Foley Vernon, 1st Bt MP (1834-1920) 1855 British (English) School
Sir Harry Foley Vernon, 1st Bt MP (1834-1920) British (English) School
Still Life of Flowers in a Vase on a Ledge manner of Pieter Casteels
Still Life of Flowers in a Vase on a Ledge manner of Pieter Casteels
Still Life of a Silver Urn with Flowers and Fruit on a Ledge c. 1726 Pieter Casteels III
Still Life with Flowers c. 1635 manner of Balthasar van der Ast
The Descent from the Cross (after Jouvenet) c. 1849 after Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet
The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine c. 1849 after Correggio
Thomas Bowater Vernon (1832-1859) 1855 British (English) School
Thomas Bowater Vernon (1832-1859) and his Brother, later Sir Harry Foley Vernon, 1st Bt MP (1834-1920) as Children 1836 British (English) School
Thomas Shrawley Vernon (1759-1825) British (English) School
Thomas Vernon (d.1693), Registrar of Worcester British (English) School
Thomas Vernon, KC, MP (1654-1721) c. 1697 possibly John Vanderbank
Thomas Vernon, MP (1724-1771) Vera Stanley Alder
Trees at Hanbury Hall c. 1932 Doris Allen, Lady Vernon
William Jennyns, Gamekeeper at Hanbury Hall from 1822-1864 British (English) School
William Vernon (1654-1708) or his Son, William Vernon (1684-1721) c. 1707 manner of Jonathan Richardson the elder

Long Gallery

Hanbury Hall Long Gallery
The Long Gallery

The Grade II* listed Long Gallery pavilion dates from circa 1701, and is built in Queen Anne style. The building is Flemish bond red brick with an attached wall connected to the hall. The gallery has two floors, the upper floor having wood paneled walls and is being used as a gallery. The basement was a dairy and has glazed ceramic tile walls.

Gardens

Formal gardens

Hanbury Hall parterre 02
The parterre

George London designed the original formal gardens in 1705, heavily influenced by the gardens of Het Loo Palace and the Palace of Versailles. At the end of the 18th century they were removed, to be replaced by open spaces.

The formal gardens were recreated in the 1990s, using the original plans from 1705 as well as later drawings. They were officially reopened on 28 July 1995.

Orangery

Hanbury Hall Orangery and Mushroom House 2016
The Orangery

The Orangery is around 120 yards (110 m) to the west of the hall, and was built around 1750. The one-story rectangular building has red Flemish bond ashlar brickwork, with a tiled hip roof behind a parapet. The main elevation faces south, and has nine sets of windows, of which the central three are moved forward and are topped with a pediment, containing a carved fruit basket along with flowers and wreaths. The parapet has urn and pineapple finals. The inside of the building has a tiled floor. The Orangery, along with adjoining walls, were Grade II* listed on 14 March 1969.

Sundial

Sundial by The Orangery at Hanbury Hall
Sundial

To the southwest of The Orangery, is a Grade II listed mid-18th century sundial. Standing on a square ashlar stone base is a column carved as an urn with cable detailing. Topping the column is an acanthus carved capital on which the sundial sits.

Heritage sites

Image Description Heritage Category Grade List Entry Number Listed date Location
Hanbury Hall
Hanbury Hall Listed Building I 1350164 29 Dec 1952 52°16′19″N 2°05′00″W / 52.271825°N 2.083257°W / 52.271825; -2.083257 (Hanbury Hall)
Long gallery
Long gallery and attached wall Listed Building II* 1081234 14 Mar 1969 52°16′19″N 2°05′03″W / 52.2719522°N 2.0840779°W / 52.2719522; -2.0840779 (Long gallery at Hanbury Hall)
The orangery
The orangery and adjoining walls Listed Building II* 1350127 14 Mar 1969 52°16′17″N 2°05′09″W / 52.271404°N 2.085741°W / 52.271404; -2.085741 (The orangery at Hanbury Hall)
Sundial by the orangery
Sundial by the orangery Listed Building II 1179767 3 Sep 1986 52°16′17″N 2°05′08″W / 52.271265°N 2.085634°W / 52.271265; -2.085634 (Sundial by the orangery)
Ice house cottage and adjoining wall Listed Building II 1301769 3 Sep 1986 52°16′21″N 2°05′17″W / 52.272513°N 2.087945°W / 52.272513; -2.087945 (Ice house cottage)
Sundial by the orangery
Ice house Listed Building II 1081238 3 Sep 1986 52°16′21″N 2°05′16″W / 52.272567°N 2.087711°W / 52.272567; -2.087711 (Ice house)
Hanbury Hall park and garden
Hanbury Hall park and garden Park and Garden II 1000883 28 Feb 1986 52°16′20″N 2°04′48″W / 52.2722462°N 2.0800903°W / 52.2722462; -2.0800903 (Hanbury Hall)
Icehouse and ponds Scheduled Monument n/a 1019500 05 Jan 2001 52°16′22″N 2°05′21″W / 52.2728°N 2.08905°W / 52.2728; -2.08905 (Icehouse and ponds)
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