Haddon Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haddon Hall |
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Haddon Hall in 2010
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| General information | |
| Type | Country house |
| Town or city | Bakewell, Derbyshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53°11′38″N 1°38′59″W / 53.1939°N 1.6498°W |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Haddon Hall | |
| Designated: | 29 September 1951 |
| Reference #: | 1334982 |
| Designated: | 4 August 1984 |
| Reference #: | 1000679 |
Haddon Hall is a beautiful old country house in England, located near Bakewell in Derbyshire. It sits right by the River Wye. This historic home is currently lived in by Lord Edward Manners and his family.
People often say Haddon Hall is one of the most complete and interesting medieval houses from its time. Its story began way back in the 11th century. Over the years, new parts were added, especially between the 13th and 17th centuries, with some sections built in the Tudor style.
The Vernon family first got Haddon Hall in the 12th century through a marriage. Many years later, in 1563, Dorothy Vernon, who was the daughter of Sir George Vernon and the future owner of the Hall, married John Manners. He was the second son of the 1st Earl of Rutland. There's a famous old story that Dorothy and John ran away to get married. Even if they did, they soon made up with Dorothy's father. Their grandson, also named John Manners, later inherited the title of Earl. His son, another John Manners, became the 1st Duke of Rutland in 1703. In the 20th century, the 9th Duke of Rutland spent his life carefully bringing the hall back to its former glory.
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The Story of Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall's history goes back to the 11th century. A man named William Peverel owned the land in 1087, which is when the famous Domesday Book survey was done. Even though it was never a proper castle, Haddon Hall got a protective wall in 1194.
The hall later came into the hands of the Avenell family. Then, in 1170, Sir Richard de Vernon gained the manor when he married Alice Avenell. The Vernon family built most of the hall we see today. Only the Peveril Tower and part of the Chapel of St Nicholas were there before them. The famous Long Gallery was added in the 16th century. Many important members of the Vernon family lived here, including Sir Richard Vernon, who was a Speaker of the House of Commons. His grandson, Sir Henry Vernon, rebuilt parts of Haddon Hall.
The Legend of Dorothy Vernon
Sir George Vernon (who lived from about 1503 to 1565) had two daughters, Margaret and Dorothy. Dorothy married John Manners in 1563. John was the second son of the 1st Earl of Rutland.
The story goes that Sir George didn't approve of Dorothy and John's relationship. Maybe it was because the Manners family were Protestants and the Vernons were Catholics. Or perhaps it was because John, as a second son, didn't have a guaranteed fortune.
According to the legend, during a ball at Haddon Hall in 1563, Dorothy slipped away from the crowd. She supposedly ran through the gardens, down some stone steps, and over a footbridge. There, John Manners was waiting for her, and they rode off to get married. Even if this elopement really happened, Dorothy and John quickly made peace with Sir George. They inherited the estate just two years later when he passed away.
Their grandson, also named John Manners, inherited the title of Earl in 1641. His son, John, became the 1st Duke of Rutland in 1703.
Restoring Haddon Hall
After the 1st Duke moved to Belvoir Castle, Haddon Hall was used very little by his family. This meant it stayed almost exactly as it was in the 16th century.
In the 1920s, another John Manners, who was the 9th Duke of Rutland, realized how special Haddon Hall was. He decided to spend his life carefully restoring it with his architect, Harold Brakspear. Today, the hall still has small parts from the 11th century. But most of it includes rooms and sections added by the Vernon family over many generations. Big building projects happened between the 13th and 16th centuries. For example, the banqueting hall and kitchens are from 1370, and the St. Nicholas Chapel was finished in 1427.
The 9th Duke also created a beautiful walled garden with trimmed hedges shaped like a boar's head and a peacock. These symbols represent the Vernon and Manners families. Haddon Hall is still owned by the Manners family today. Lord Edward Manners, the brother of the current 11th Duke, and his wife, Lady Edward Manners, moved into the hall in 2016.
Haddon Hall was recognized as a very important building in 1951. Its gardens were also listed as historically important in 1984. In 2011, it was found that the hall's foundations needed urgent repairs to protect the beautiful plaster ceiling in the Long Gallery. In 2021, grants from Historic England and the Historic Houses Foundation helped start these important repair works.
What Haddon Hall Looks Like Inside
Haddon Hall is built on a sloped piece of land. It has two main courtyards. The upper courtyard (towards the north-east) has the Peverel or Eagle Tower and the Long Gallery. The lower courtyard (towards the south-west) is where the Chapel is located. The Great Hall sits right in the middle of these two courtyards.
When the hall was built, many rooms could only be reached from outside or by walking through other rooms. This was normal for the time, but it would be quite inconvenient by today's standards!
Haddon Hall in Books and Movies
Haddon Hall has been featured in many books, plays, and movies. Most of these stories are about the famous legend of Dorothy Vernon and John Manners running away together:
- A story called King of the Peak – A Derbyshire Tale was written by Allan Cunningham in 1822.
- A novel called The King of the Peak – A Romance was written in 1823 by William Bennett.
- The first full version of the legend, "The Love Steps of Dorothy Vernon," was a short story by Eliza Meteyard in 1849.
- A light opera called Haddon Hall, with music by Arthur Sullivan, opened in London in 1892.
- A popular novel, Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall, was written by American author Charles Major in 1902.
- A play based on Major's novel debuted on Broadway in 1903.
- A 1924 film, Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall, starred the famous actress Mary Pickford.
- The English painter Frederick Booty painted Haddon Hall many times.
- English painter Joseph Nash painted the main hall in 1838. This painting was later used on the cover of the 1975 album Minstrel in the Gallery by the band Jethro Tull.
Haddon Hall on Screen
Haddon Hall has been a filming location for many movies and TV shows, including:
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- The BBC's The Silver Chair (1990)
- Jane Eyre (1996)
- Elizabeth (1998)
- Pride & Prejudice (2005)
- Jane Eyre (2006)
- Jane Eyre (2011)
- Time Crashers (2015)
- Gunpowder (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Haddon Hall para niños
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Nether Haddon
