Fiddleford Manor facts for kids
Fiddleford Manor is a very old house in Dorset, England. It's a special kind of old house called a manor house. People think it was first built around the year 1370. Today, it's owned by English Heritage, which means you can visit it and learn about its long history!
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Fiddleford Manor: A Historic Home
Fiddleford Manor is a fascinating medieval building. It's located near a town called Sturminster Newton in Dorset. This manor house is also sometimes known as Fiddleford Mill. It has stood for over 600 years, seeing many changes.
Who Built This Ancient House?
The manor probably started being built around 1370. It was for a man named William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer. He was an important person, serving as the sheriff for Somerset and Dorset. The land came to him in 1355, and soon after, this grand house began to take shape.
What Can You See Today?
The manor house you see today is shaped like a "T". It has two main parts:
- A two-story room called a solar. This was often a private living space.
- Half of the main hall, which was a large gathering room.
Both of these parts still have their original open timber roofs. This means you can see the wooden beams that support the roof. Some parts of the old house are now just bumps in the ground. These are called earthworks.
Fiddleford Manor is special because it still has many of its original features. This is amazing, especially since it has been changed many times over 600 years! People have said it has "perhaps the most spectacular manor house interior in Dorset."
A Journey Through Time: Owners and Changes
Over the centuries, many families lived at Fiddleford Manor.
- In the 1500s, the solar wing was made longer. The main hall was also updated by an architect named Thomas White and his wife Anne. The White family owned the house for a long time.
- After the time of Charles I, a new family bought the manor. Sir Thomas Freke bought it, and his family, the Pitt-Rivers family, kept it for many years.
- The Pitt-Rivers family made some changes too. They made the main hall shorter by about 2 meters (6.5 feet). They also added a new fireplace and ceiling. The hall used to stretch almost to the River Stour.
Saving History: The Manor's Restoration
By 1956, parts of the manor were in bad shape. An 18th-century building that was part of the manor had been taken down. The original 14th-century part was falling apart. By 1962, only the northern wing was still livable.
Because of its importance, the original section of the house became owned by the state. During the 1970s, the house was carefully repaired and restored. This work was done by the Department for the Environment, which is now called the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Today, Fiddleford Manor is open to the public. However, a building next to it is still a private home and cannot be visited.
