Forty Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forty Hall |
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Forty Hall from the south
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| Type | Manor House |
| Location | Forty Hill |
| Area | Enfield |
| Built | 1620s |
| Owner | London Borough of Enfield |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Forty Hall | |
| Designated | 12 March 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1294469 |
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Forty Hall is a beautiful old house built in the 1620s. You can find it in Forty Hill in Enfield, which is in north London. This amazing building is so important that it's a Grade I listed building. Today, it's a fun museum run by the London Borough of Enfield. The land around it also holds the old site of Elsyng Palace, a royal palace from the Tudor times.
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Where is Forty Hall Located?
Forty Hall is in the northern part of London Borough of Enfield. This is the very top borough, or area, of London. The house and its lovely park sit on top of Forty Hill. This hill is a flat, gravel area. It stands above the River Lea to the east. It's also above the Turkey Brook valley to the north and west.
The park gently slopes down into the valley. Here, you can still see parts of old ponds. A bend in the old path of the New River marks most of the estate's edge. This river has since been moved further east. To the north, you'll find Whitewebbs and Myddelton House. The road to the east used to be the main way from Enfield to Waltham Cross. Now, traffic uses the A10 instead.
Who Built Forty Hall?
Forty Hall was built between 1629 and 1632. Many people believe it was built by Sir Nicholas Raynton. He was a very rich London haberdasher, which means he sold small sewing items. Sir Nicholas was also the Lord Mayor of London from 1632 to 1633.
However, some older writings suggest someone else built it. A writer named Tuff said in 1858 that Sir Hugh Fortee built the house. He said Raynton then bought it. A survey from 1635 also mentioned a house that "some time Hugh Fortee's." This suggests Fortee might have been the first owner.
For a long time, people didn't fully understand the house's history. It was built in the 1620s but looks like an 18th-century building from the outside. Experts studied it for the Forty Hall Conservation Plan. They decided that a "clever artisan builder" likely designed the house. It probably wasn't a famous architect like Inigo Jones.
How Did Forty Hall Change Over Time?
The original house was square and didn't change much at first. A small addition was made to the northwest in 1636. In 1640, Sir Nicholas Rainton was put in prison. This happened because he wouldn't help King Charles I get a loan. Sir Nicholas passed away in 1646 when he was 77. He was buried at St Andrew's Church in Enfield.
The hall then went to his great-nephew, who was also named Nicholas. He made the estate bigger by buying the nearby Elsyng Palace in 1656. He then had it taken down. In 1696, the hall went to John Wolstenholme. He was likely related to a famous financier and merchant. John did a lot of work on the house, maybe after a fire. He added an extension to the southwest. He also planted the long avenue of trees.
In 1740, Eliab Breton became the owner. He updated the ground floor of the house. Later owners included Edmund Armstrong in 1787 and James Meyer in 1799. The Meyer family built the nearby Jesus Church in 1835.
In 1894, Henry Carrington Bowles bought the hall. He lived at the nearby Myddelton House. He bought Forty Hall for his son, Major Henry Ferryman Bowles. Henry Ferryman Bowles was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Enfield. He later became the 1st Baronet Bowles, which is a special title. In 1897, more changes were made, including making the southwest wing larger.
In 1951, the Bowles family sold Forty Hall to the Municipal Borough of Enfield. This was the group that came before the London Borough of Enfield. Since then, the hall has been used as a museum for everyone to enjoy.
Forty Hall's Modern Makeover
Forty Hall closed to visitors in late 2010. It needed a big update! The Enfield Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund paid for this project. One important change was putting the main staircase back in its original spot. The hall reopened its doors on June 30, 2012. Now, it's even better for visitors.
What Can You See at Forty Hall Today?
The museum at Forty Hall has a special exhibition. It tells the story of the house and its land through the years. You can learn about Sir Nicholas Rainton's life in the 1600s. The displays use pictures, sounds, and other cool ways to show you what life was like. You can also take guided tours led by a character from the Jacobean era. The museum also has art shows and events about nature and history.
Exploring the Grounds of Forty Hall
The land around Forty Hall is huge, about 107 hectares (264 acres). It's part of London's Metropolitan Green Belt, which is protected green space. Right around the house, you'll find pretty gardens and a small lake. There's also a magnificent Cedar of Lebanon tree. It's one of the Great Trees of London and the biggest one of its kind in Greater London!
The rest of the land is a park that's open to everyone. There's also a farm. A long line of trees goes down the hill from the house. It leads into the valley of the Turkey Brook, also called Maidens Brook. The old path of the New River marks the northern and much of the southern edge of the estate.
