Ayscoughfee Hall facts for kids
Ayscoughfee Hall is a very old and important building in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. It's a special landmark in the area. Today, it's a museum and a lovely park for everyone to enjoy. It's listed as a Grade I building, which means it's historically very important.
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Ayscoughfee Hall's Past
Building the Hall
The house, which is now a museum, was built a long time ago in the 1400s. People believe a rich wool merchant named Richard Ailwyn built it. Wool merchants bought and sold wool, which was a big business back then.
Scientists studied the wood used in the roof. They found that most of the building was finished in 1451. Richard Ailwyn's son, Sir Nicholas Ailwyn, became the Lord Mayor of London in 1499. This was a very important job! The house still looks much like it did in the 1400s. Someone from that time would still recognise it today.
The Ayscough Family
In the early 1500s, the Hall was owned by the Ayscough family. The "Fee" part of the name "Ayscoughfee" refers to a "Knight's Fee." This was a way of saying the land or property belonged to a knight. King Henry VIII even gave land in Spalding to Sir William Ayscough.
The Johnson Family and Maurice Johnson
Later, in the 1600s, the Hall passed to the Johnson family. The most famous owner was Maurice Johnson (1688–1755). He was known as "the Antiquary." An antiquary is someone who studies old things and history.
Maurice Johnson started the Spalding Gentlemen's Society in 1710. This is one of the oldest groups of history lovers still around today! Maurice Johnson was also good friends with another famous local historian, William Stukeley.
A Museum for Everyone
Becoming a Public Place
The last family to live at Ayscoughfee Hall, the Bonners, left in 1896. After that, the Hall and its gardens were bought for the people of Spalding. This was done to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It was officially given to the town on August 9, 1902. This also celebrated the crowning of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
Today, Ayscoughfee Hall is a museum and a place for the community. For some years in the 20th century, it was even used as a primary school!
Exploring the Gardens
The beautiful gardens cover about 5 acres (20,000 square meters). Some parts of the gardens were supposedly designed by William Sands in the early 1700s. You can still see many of these old features today.
The gardens have many lovely things to see, such as:
- Tall yew hedges
- An old ice-house (used to store ice before refrigerators existed)
- A beautiful ornamental lake
At the end of the lake, you'll find the Spalding War Memorial. This memorial was opened in 1922 and designed by a famous architect, Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens. It also became a Grade I listed building in 2015.
Other fun features in the gardens include:
- A bowling green
- Tennis courts
- An aviary (a large cage for birds)
- A café
There used to be a rustic bandstand built in 1937. It was made to celebrate the crowning of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in the early 1970s. However, the Friends of Ayscoughfee group still organises summer concerts on the south lawn.
Restoration and Modern Use
In 2003, Ayscoughfee Hall closed for a big restoration project. This was made possible with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund and South Holland District Council. The goal was to carefully bring the Hall back to its original beauty.
The Hall officially re-opened to the public on June 30, 2006. It now serves as a museum and a community center. The Hall also hosts many events, like:
- Theatrical performances
- Craft fairs
- Civil wedding ceremonies
Images for kids
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Stained glass
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Kitchen exhibition
