Baddesley Clinton facts for kids
Baddesley Clinton is a very old house in Warwickshire, England. It's about 8 miles (13 km) north-west of Warwick. This special house is surrounded by a moat, which is like a wide ditch filled with water. It was first built around the 1200s. Back then, people were clearing forests to make farms. Today, Baddesley Clinton is a protected historical site. It's owned by the National Trust, a group that looks after important places. You can visit the house, its park, and beautiful gardens.
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History of Baddesley Clinton
Early Owners and Changes
In 1438, a man named John Brome bought the house. His son, Nicholas Brome, took over later. Nicholas rebuilt the local church. People say he did this to make up for a terrible crime. He was believed to have murdered the local priest inside the house.
The house from this time had special openings for guns. It might have even had a drawbridge over the moat. This shows it was built to be safe and protected.
The Ferrers Family Era
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. They kept it until 1940.
Henry Ferrers (1549–1633) was known as "The Antiquary." He added many things to Baddesley Clinton. He started putting stained glass windows in the house. These windows showed the family's special coat of arms. You can still see these beautiful windows today.
In the 1700s, parts of the house were rebuilt. The great hall was changed to brick. An eastern part of the house was also made bigger. But the builders were careful to keep the original style.
Later Inhabitants and Refurbishment
In the 1860s, two writers lived there. They were Georgiana Chatterton and her husband Edward Heneage Dering. They both became Roman Catholics. The house's Catholic chapel was rebuilt. The whole house was also updated.
Many changes happened inside the house until the 1940s. The first floor near the chapel was completely changed. The house has a large main hall, a sitting room, and a library. It also has many other rooms. You can see old carvings and furniture from the 1500s. There are also items from the 1800s used by later families.
Baddesley Clinton and Catholicism
Secret Hiding Places
The Ferrers family stayed Catholic after the Protestant Reformation. This was a time when being Catholic was dangerous in England. Many other wealthy families in Warwickshire also remained Catholic. They helped hide Catholic priests. These priests could be sentenced to death if found.
To keep them safe, special hiding places were built. These were called "priest holes." They were secret passages to hide people during searches. One priest hole is in the roof. It is said to be big enough for six people. Another is hidden in an old toilet area. People could slide down a rope from the first floor. They would go into the house's sewers. These sewers ran under the building. They could hide six or seven people with their clothes and items for Mass.
Nicholas Owen's Clever Hides
These priest holes were likely built by Saint Nicholas Owen. He was a lay-brother of the Jesuits. He built many amazing hiding spots. Another famous one is at nearby Harvington Hall. Nicholas Owen was eventually caught. He was tortured and died because of his faith.
The priest holes at Baddesley Clinton were used at least once. This happened in 1591. Authorities raided the house during a meeting of Jesuit priests. One priest, Father John Gerard, described hiding during the search. The hiding places worked well. No one was caught.
Gardens and Parkland at Baddesley Clinton
Exploring the Grounds
The land around the house is beautiful. To the north and south-east, there are meadows with scattered trees. South of the house, you can find ornamental trees. There are also lovely pleasure grounds to the south-west. These lead down to a small lake.
A formal walled garden is located south of the house. This garden was once used to grow food. The central courtyard inside the house is also a garden. The park and gardens are very important. They are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Baddesley Clinton as a Filming Location
On Screen Appearances
Baddesley Clinton has been used for filming movies and TV shows. In 1986, parts of the house were used for the Sherlock Holmes TV series. It appeared in an episode called "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual."
In October 2016, the house was also featured on the BBC One show Antiques Roadshow.
Other Filming Locations
Sometimes, other places are used to look like Baddesley Clinton. For example, in 2017, a BBC One show called Gunpowder was filmed. It showed events from 1603. Even though the show said it was Baddesley Clinton, the outdoor scenes were actually filmed at Fountains Hall in Yorkshire.
