Ancient High House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ancient High House |
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| General information | |
| Type | Town house |
| Architectural style | Timber framed |
| Town or city | Stafford |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°48′22″N 2°07′02″W / 52.8062°N 2.1172°W |
| Completed | 1595 |
| Client | Dorrington family |
The Ancient High House is a very old house in Stafford, England. It was built in 1595 by the Dorrington family. This house is special because it's the largest timber framed house in all of England. This means its main structure is made from strong wooden beams. The wood for the house was local oak. People say it came from a nearby forest called Doxey Wood.
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Building the Ancient High House
The builders used a clever trick to put the house together. They carved special marks on the wooden beams. These marks showed how the pieces fit together. It was like a giant wooden puzzle! They would put the frame together on the ground first. Then, they would number the joints to make it easy to build on site.
Some of the wooden beams look like they were used before. They have extra cuts where other pieces might have joined. This suggests that some wood might have come from an even older building. It was common for people to take apart a building and rebuild it somewhere else. This is where the saying "up-sticks" comes from, meaning to move house.
A Royal Visit During the Civil War
The Ancient High House has a rich history. It played a small part in the English Civil War. This was a big conflict in England between 1642 and 1651. It was a fight between King Charles I and the Parliament.
In 1643, King Charles I visited Stafford. He stayed at the Ancient High House on September 17th and 18th. This was soon after he had started the war. He used the house as his temporary headquarters. While there, he talked to his advisors. He also wrote important letters and military orders. Some of these old papers are still kept in a nearby library.
While the King was in Stafford, he went to St Mary's Collegiate Church. A local woman was even paid to scatter flowers along his path to the church.
Prince Rupert's Pistol Shot
There's a famous story about Prince Rupert of the Rhine. He was King Charles I's nephew and a skilled military leader. The story says that Prince Rupert was walking in the High House garden with the King. He then fired two shots at the weather vane on St Mary's Church. He wanted to show how accurate his special pistol was.
The weather vane is no longer there, so we can't check the story. But Prince Rupert's pistol was known to be very accurate for its time. He even had a Standard Poodle dog named 'Boy' who was with him!
The House During the War
After the King left, his enemies, the Parliamentarians, took control of Stafford. This happened in May 1643. In January of the next year, the Parliamentarians used the Ancient High House as a prison. They kept important Royalist prisoners there. Royalists were people who supported the King.
The main room of the house was on the first floor. This is where important guests like King Charles I would have been welcomed. Today, you can see a display that shows what it might have looked like when the King visited. It shows King Charles I and Prince Rupert as guests of Captain Richard Sneed.
Saving the Ancient High House
Over the years, the house faced some challenges. In the 1800s, some changes were made to the ground floor. A stone fireplace was removed to make a hallway. Also, one of the main corner posts was taken out. This made the upper floors start to lean outwards. Another chimney was removed later when electricity came along. This made more space, as portable heaters could keep the rooms warm.
There were rumors that the Ancient High House might have to be torn down. It needed a lot of repair work. But the people of Stafford didn't want that to happen! They formed a group to raise money to "save the Ancient High House."
People set up stalls on weekends to sell souvenirs. They encouraged everyone to donate money. A local band, "the Climax Blues Band," even held a concert. They raised a lot of money for the cause. There was talk of putting up a special plaque to thank the band, but it never happened.
The Ancient High House Today
Today, the Ancient High House is a historic house museum. It's a great place to visit and learn about the past. You can see rooms set up with furniture from different time periods. These include the English Civil War, the Edwardian, and Victorian times.
The museum also has three galleries. These galleries show different art, photography, and history exhibitions. The Stafford Borough Council runs the museum, and it's free to enter!
The attic floor of the house is home to the Staffordshire Yeomanry Museum. Here, you can see old uniforms and items from the Staffordshire Yeomanry. This was a local military group.
The Ancient High House is connected to other old buildings like 'Shaw's House' and the 'Swan'. Both of these also date back to the Elizabethan period. Nearby, you can also find St Chad's Church and St Mary's Collegiate Church.
