Euston Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Euston Hall |
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The 11th Duke of Grafton in front of Euston Hall
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| General information | |
| Location | Euston, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°22′24″N 0°47′12″E / 52.37345°N 0.78676°E |
| Construction started | 1666 |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Owner | Henry FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton |
Euston Hall is a grand country house in Euston, a small village in Suffolk, England. It's located just south of Thetford. This historic home is famous for its beautiful park, designed by well-known landscape artists William Kent and Capability Brown. Euston Hall has been the family home of the Dukes of Grafton for many years.
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The Story of Euston Hall
Euston Hall has a long history. It was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1087. This was a very old record of land and property in England. At that time, it was a manor belonging to Bury St. Edmunds Abbey.
Royal Visits and New Owners
In August 1578, Queen Elizabeth I visited the manor hall. She stayed with the Rookwood family while traveling to Norwich. Later, in 1666, the estate was bought by Henry Bennet, who was the Earl of Arlington. He was also a top government official for King Charles II.
Henry Bennet built a magnificent house in the French style. It had a central courtyard and large towers on each corner. King Charles II visited Euston Hall several times, starting in 1671. A famous diarist named John Evelyn was among the many people who came with the King.
A Royal Marriage and Family Home
In 1672, King Charles II arranged a marriage. His young son, Henry FitzRoy, was nine years old. He married Isabella Bennet, who was five. She was the daughter and heir of the Earl of Arlington.
Henry FitzRoy was made the 1st Duke of Grafton in 1675. The young couple had a second wedding ceremony in 1679. This was when Isabella turned twelve, which was the youngest legal age to marry with permission back then. The Duke and Duchess inherited Euston Hall in 1685.
Changes and Challenges
Around 1750, their son, the second Duke, decided to update the house. He hired Matthew Brettingham, an architect who had worked on Holkham Hall in Norfolk. The round domes on Euston Hall were changed to the low pyramid roofs you see today. Some parts of the house were also given a new look.
Sadly, on April 5, 1902, a big fire damaged the south and west parts of the house. It also destroyed some beautiful painted ceilings. The house was rebuilt quickly, following the same design. However, the 10th Duke later removed most of the south and west wings in 1952.
Art and History at Euston Hall
Euston Hall has an impressive collection of art. One painting by Canaletto is especially interesting. It shows the Westminster Bridge being built in London. The second Duke of Grafton helped make this bridge happen. He was tired of delays when crossing the River Thames by ferry. So, he helped pass a law to build the bridge, which was finished in 1748.
The estate also gave its name to Euston railway station in London. The Dukes of Grafton owned the land where the station was built and helped with its development.
The Beautiful Park and Gardens
The park at Euston Hall is just as famous as the house. The original park was designed by John Evelyn, who was a diarist and an expert on trees and gardens. His designs included lovely walking paths that you can still enjoy today.
Designs by Famous Landscape Artists
In 1738, William Kent designed the entire park and river layout. His work at Euston is considered one of his best. You can still see his temple and entrance archway today.
Later, Capability Brown worked on the park from 1776 until he passed away in 1783. He improved the water features for the 3rd Duke of Grafton. Brown expanded Kent's small lakes and streams into a large new lake called Broadwater. This lake has a central island and offers great views of the house through the trees. He also built a weir to guide water from the River Blackbourne into the lake.
Unique Buildings in the Park
Euston's watermill was built in the 1670s. It was used for watering crops and grinding corn. In 1731, William Kent redesigned it to look like a church. Later, in 1859, an iron waterwheel was added.
The Temple is another interesting building in the park. It's an unusual eight-sided building, or "folly," designed by William Kent in 1746. It was his last project. Inside, it has a grand eight-sided dining hall with a dome. The Temple is not open to the public.
Today, the house and grounds include about 110 acres of parkland and 65 acres of pleasure grounds. The landscaping was greatly restored before the 2016 celebration of Capability Brown's 300th birthday.
