Baddesley Clinton facts for kids
Baddesley Clinton is a very old house in Warwickshire, England. It's special because it's surrounded by a moat, which is a wide ditch filled with water. The house probably started being built way back in the 1200s. This was a time when people were clearing lots of land in the Forest of Arden to make farms.
Today, Baddesley Clinton is a very important historical site. It's owned by the National Trust, a charity that looks after historic places. You can visit the house, its beautiful gardens, and the parkland around it.
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History of Baddesley Clinton
In 1438, a man named John Brome bought the house. He was an important person who helped manage money for England. Later, his son, Nicholas Brome, took over. Nicholas rebuilt the local church as a way to make up for a sad event involving the local priest. The house from this time had special openings for guns and might have even had a drawbridge over the moat!
When Nicholas Brome passed away in 1517, his daughter inherited the house. She had married Sir Edward Ferrers. The Ferrers family then owned Baddesley Clinton for a very long time, until 1940. After that, it was bought by a relative who also took the Ferrers name. Finally, in 1980, the house was sold to the National Trust, which now takes care of it for everyone to enjoy.
Changes Over Time
A famous member of the family, Henry Ferrers (1549–1633), added many things to Baddesley Clinton. He was known for studying old things. He started the tradition of putting stained glass windows in the house. These windows showed the family's special coat of arms, which is like a family symbol. You can still see these beautiful glass pieces in many rooms today.
In the 1700s, parts of the house were rebuilt with bricks. However, the builders were very careful to make sure the new parts looked just like the old ones. Later, in the 1860s, writers Georgiana Chatterton and Edward Heneage Dering lived there. They made changes, including rebuilding the house's Catholic chapel. More changes happened inside the house until the 1940s. Today, you can see a large main hall, a sitting room, a library, and other rooms. They are filled with old carvings, furniture from the 1500s, and items used by people who lived there in the 1800s.
Secret Hiding Places
The Ferrers family at Baddesley Clinton were Roman Catholics. During a time called the Protestant Reformation, being Catholic was against the law in England. Catholic priests could even face serious danger if they were found. So, the Ferrers family helped hide these priests.
They built amazing secret passages called "priest holes" all around the house. These were clever hiding spots in case the authorities came to search.
- One priest hole is hidden in the roof and could fit about six people.
- Another one is hidden in an old toilet area! People could slide down a rope from the first floor into the house's old sewer system. This long passage could hide several people with their clothes and things needed for a Mass (a Catholic church service).
These secret hides are thought to have been built by Saint Nicholas Owen. He was a very skilled builder who made many such hiding places in other houses too. Sadly, he was later caught and died because of harsh treatment by the government.
A Real Search
The priest holes were actually used at least once! In 1591, officials searched the house while a group of Catholic priests were meeting there. One of the priests, Father John Gerard, wrote about hiding during the search. Thanks to the clever hiding spots, no one was caught!
Gardens and Parkland
The land around Baddesley Clinton is very beautiful. To the north and south-east of the house, you'll find meadows with scattered trees. There are also pretty ornamental trees south of the house. If you walk to the south-west, you'll find lovely pleasure grounds that lead down to a small lake.
There's also a formal walled garden south of the house. In the past, this was used as a kitchen garden to grow food. Even the central courtyard inside the house is designed as a small garden. The entire park and gardens are recognized as historically important.
Filming Location
Baddesley Clinton's historic look has made it a popular place for filming!
- In 1986, parts of the house were used for an episode of the Sherlock Holmes TV series called "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual."
- In October 2016, the house was also featured on BBC One's Antiques Roadshow.
It's interesting to note that even though a 2017 TV show called Gunpowder was about events from the 1600s, the outdoor scenes described as "Baddesley Clinton" were actually filmed at a different place called Fountains Hall in Yorkshire.
