Canons Ashby House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canons Ashby House |
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Front of Canons Ashby House
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| Location | Canons Ashby, Daventry, Northamptonshire, England, NN11 3SD |
| Architectural style(s) | Elizabethan |
| Governing body | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Canons Ashby House | |
| Designated | 18 September 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1075304 |
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Canons Ashby House is an old country house in Northamptonshire, England. It's a special type of house called an Elizabethan manor house, built a long time ago. The house is located in a small village called Canons Ashby, which is about 11 kilometers south of Daventry.
Since 1981, Canons Ashby House has been looked after by the National Trust. When they took over, the house was in bad shape. But they worked hard to save it! Part of the building, called "The Tower," is now managed by the Landmark Trust. You can even rent it for holidays!
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Exploring Canons Ashby House
The inside of Canons Ashby House is really cool. It has amazing wall paintings from the Elizabethan era. You can also see beautiful plasterwork from the Jacobean period. The house looks much like it did in 1710. It is shown as it was when Sir Henry Edward Leigh Dryden lived there. He was a Victorian historian who loved old things.
The house also has a lovely formal garden. It's filled with colorful flower beds and an orchard. The orchard grows fruit trees from the 16th century. You can also see old terraces, walls, and gate posts from 1710. Near the house are the remains of a medieval church. This church is where the house gets its name, Canons Ashby Priory.
A Look Back at History
Canons Ashby House has been home to the Dryden family for a very long time. They built the main part of the house around 1550. More sections were added in the 1590s, 1630s, and 1710.
One of the first Drydens, John Dryden, married Elizabeth Cope in 1551. He inherited a farmhouse that he slowly made bigger. His son, Sir Erasmus Dryden, finished the last part of the house in the 1590s. This created the Pebble Courtyard.
Famous Family Members
A very interesting person from the Dryden family was Anne Hutchinson (1591-1643). She was born at Canons Ashby. Anne moved to America in 1634. She had strong beliefs about religion that were different from the leaders there. She bravely spoke her mind and became very popular. Because of her ideas, she was eventually asked to leave the colony.
In later years, Anne Hutchinson was seen as a hero. People admired her for fighting for religious freedom. In the 20th century, she was also seen as a leader for women's rights. Today, there's a statue of Anne Hutchinson in Boston, Massachusetts.
Another important person from the house was Alice Dryden (1866–1956). She was a historian and photographer. Alice was born at Canons Ashby and lived there for 33 years. After her father passed away, she moved out. This was because, at that time, women could not inherit the family estate.
Modern History of the House
From 1969 to 1979, a famous architect and goldsmith named Louis Osman lived at Canons Ashby. While living there, he and his wife made some amazing things. They created the crown used when Charles, Prince of Wales became a prince in 1969. They also made a special gold box for the Magna Carta. This box was shown in Washington, D.C., in 1976.
During World War II, something unexpected happened at Canons Ashby House. The London offices of 20th Century Fox films moved there to be safe. The film staff lived in a nearby village.
In the 1980s, Gervase Jackson-Stops helped save the house. He was an advisor for the National Trust. It was the first time the National Trust used its own money to save a historic house. This was a new way for them to protect important places.
