Hellens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hellens
The house viewed from the east
General information
Town or city	Much Marcle
Country	England
Coordinates	51°59′47″N 2°29′44″W / 51.996294°N 2.495558°W / 51.996294; -2.495558

Hellens Manor, also known as Hellens House, is a very old and important historic house. You can find it in the village of Much Marcle in Herefordshire, England. It's one of the oldest homes in England, with parts built in different styles like Tudor, Jacobean, and Georgian architecture. Some of its foundations are even older, dating back to the 12th century! Today, Hellens is still a family home, but it's also a busy place for music, arts, and helping young people.

A Glimpse into Hellens' Past

Hellens Manor has a long and exciting history, connected to many important people and events in England.

Early Owners and Royal Connections

Back in 1057, before he became King, Earl Harold Godwinson was the owner of Merkelan, which included Hellens. After he died as King at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror gave the land to his standard bearer, Walter de Lacy. Walter then gave parts of the land's income (called "tythes") to monasteries in France. The whole area was worth a lot of money back then, about £30, which was a huge sum for a village listed in the Domesday Book (a famous survey of England from 1086).

By 1096, the de Balun family owned the manor. This family was important enough to witness the signing of the Magna Carta, a very famous document that limited the power of the king.

Hellens, or Helyons as it was called then, was first specifically mentioned in 1180. By this time, the de Baluns had become the official "Lords of the manor," meaning they were the main landowners.

Royal Visitors and Important Meetings

In 1275, Sir Walter de Balun married Yseult (Isolde), who was the sister of Lord Roger Mortimer. After Walter died, Yseult married Sir Hugh Audley. You can see statues of them in the local church.

It's said that Yseult, her brother Roger, Queen Isabella of France, and her son (who would later become Edward III of England) all waited in the great hall at Hellens. They were waiting for the Great Seal of England to be delivered to them on November 26, 1326. The Seal had been taken from King Edward II, who was imprisoned at Monmouth Castle. Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella were involved in arranging for the king's death while he was imprisoned.

In 1337, Hugh Audley was given the title Earl of Gloucester. This was because he married Margaret de Clare, who was the granddaughter of Edward I of England. Margaret was also the widow of Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, who was a close friend of Edward II. Hugh Audley died in 1347.

A Knight of the Garter

After Hugh Audley's death, Hellens Manor went to his nephew, Sir James Audley. Sir James was a famous warrior, known from the Froissart Chronicles. He fought in important battles like Crecy and Poitiers and was a close friend of Edward the Black Prince. He was also one of the very first Knights of the Garter, a special group of knights created by the king.

Sir James lived and fought in France, so he leased (rented out) the manor to Walter de Helyon. Walter then passed it to his daughter Joanna when she married Richard Walwyn. Their son later bought the full ownership of the manor around 1403. The property kept the name Hellens, after Walter de Helyon. You can see a wooden statue of Walter de Helyon in the St Bartholomew's church in Much Marcle.

Later Families and Modern Use

The Walwyn family continued to own Hellens for many years. When William Noble, a High Sheriff of Herefordshire, married into the family, he added their name to his own. The house later passed to Edward Walwyn, and his descendant Ely married into the Cooke family. Charles Cooke, who was a Member of Parliament for Hereford, was born at Hellens between 1893 and 1900.

From 1909 to 1922, Alec and Ursula Whalley rented the house. Ursula was the sister of Lascelles Abercrombie, a poet, and Patrick Abercrombie, a famous town planner. In 1930, Blanche Walwyn Cooke sold the house to Lady Helena Gleichen. Lady Helena was a great-niece of Queen Victoria and a friend of Axel Munthe. When Helena Gleichen left Hellens, the house went to Hilda Munthe.

Today, Hellens is still a family home. But it's also a lively place for many cultural activities. It's owned and managed by the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Charity Trust. This Trust helps support the well-known Ledbury Poetry Festival. They also created the Hellensmusic festival, which happens every May, and they have concerts all year round. Famous musicians come to play, relax, and teach talented young students. The Trust and the family also help vulnerable teenagers with their "Back-to-the-Wild" programs. They run a Forest Schools program for local primary and secondary schools and support local twinning activities with towns in Sweden and France.

What You Can See at Hellens

Hellens is like a living storybook of England's history. It has many interesting things to see, including old books, furniture, paintings, and other beautiful objects.

Historic Collections and Inscriptions

You can find items connected to famous historical figures like Anne Boleyn, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Charles I, and Charles II. There are also items from the families who lived in the house over the centuries. For example, you can see a special pardon that Queen Elizabeth I gave to Richard Walwyn.

In 'Hetty Walwyn's Room', named after Mehitabel, an 18th-century resident, there's a special inscription on a window pane. Mehitabel was kept in this room by her mother. The inscription, believed to be hers, says: "It is a part of virtue to abstain from what we love if it will prove our bane."

Gardens and Outdoor Features

The gardens at Hellens are designed in Tudor style architecture and Jacobean patterns. They include a beautiful walled knot garden (a garden with plants arranged in knot-like patterns) and a yew labyrinth (a maze made of yew trees). There's also a Physic Garden, which is a garden for medicinal plants, and a 17th-century octagonal dovecote (a building for doves).

You can also enjoy a walk through the woodland and by the pond. There's an old cider mill that is still used every autumn during the "Big Apple weekend" to make perry (pear cider) and cider. The stables at Hellens even have an old Derby coach!

Barns and Stables

The 16th-century Tythe and Wain Barns have been restored. These barns are now used for concerts, school visits, local community projects, and all sorts of events. The Georgian Stables have also been updated and are now used for living spaces.

See also

Images for kids

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  Cider mill (still used each autumn)