Berrington Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Berrington Hall |
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Classical West front of Berrington Hall
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| General information | |
| Type | House and Gardens |
| Architectural style | neo-Palladian |
| Town or city | Leominster, Herefordshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°16′08″N 2°43′17″W / 52.2690°N 2.7214°W |
| Construction started | 1778 |
| Completed | 1781 |
| Client | Thomas Harley |
| Management | National Trust |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Henry Holland |
Berrington Hall is a beautiful old country house located about 3 kilometers north of Leominster, Herefordshire, England. It's like a grand old mansion with big gardens. Today, it's looked after by the National Trust, which is a charity that protects important places. This means people can visit and explore its history and lovely grounds.
This amazing house was designed by a famous architect named Henry Holland. He created it between 1778 and 1781 for a wealthy man named Thomas Harley. While the outside of the house looks quite simple, the rooms inside are very elegant and detailed.
Berrington Hall is home to some special collections. You can see the Elmar Digby furniture collection and paintings by artists like Thomas Luny. There's also a costume collection from Snowshill, which you can view if you arrange it beforehand. You can even explore the "below stairs" areas, which are where the servants used to work. These include a laundry room from the Victorian times and a dairy from the Georgian period.
Since 1957, Berrington Hall has been cared for by the National Trust. It is open to the public, so visitors can enjoy both the house and its beautiful gardens.
The Gardens and Lake
Berrington Hall features the very last landscape design by a famous garden designer named Capability Brown. He was known for creating natural-looking parks and gardens. A special part of the garden is a "ha-ha" wall. This is a hidden wall that keeps animals out of the garden without blocking the view. This wall was carefully repaired in the late 20th century by local craftspeople.
There's also a lake at Berrington called Berrington Pool. It has an island in the middle. This lake is so important for nature that it's been named a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a protected area because of its special plants and animals.
A Look Back in Time: History of Berrington Hall
Berrington Hall has a long and interesting history. For many years, since 1386, the Cornewall family owned the land. But in 1775, they sold it to Thomas Harley. Thomas Harley was a very successful banker and also worked for the government. He had even been the Lord Mayor of London in 1767.
Thomas Harley decided to build a brand new house on the estate. This new house, which is the Berrington Hall we see today, was built between 1778 and 1781. He then made the house available to his daughter, Anne, and her new husband, George Rodney. George was the son of a famous naval officer, Admiral Rodney. After Thomas Harley passed away, the house stayed in the Rodney family for 95 years.
In 1901, a businessman from Manchester named Frederick Cawley bought the estate. He later became known as Baron Cawley. In 1957, his grandson, Frederick Lee Cawley, who was the 3rd Baron Cawley, gave the house to the Treasury. The Treasury then passed it on to the National Trust. Lady Cawley, Frederick Lee Cawley's mother, was allowed to continue living in the house until she passed away in 1978.
Because of its historical importance and beautiful design, Berrington Hall was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building in 1959. This means it's considered a building of exceptional interest and is protected.
