Hinchingbrooke House facts for kids
Hinchingbrooke House is a grand old house located in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. Today, it is part of Hinchingbrooke School.
The house was originally built around an 11th-century Benedictine nunnery. After the English Reformation, a time when big changes happened in England's churches, the house became owned by the Cromwell family. Later, it became the home of the Earls of Sandwich. One famous Earl was John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who is said to have invented the modern sandwich! In 1962, the 10th Earl sold the house.
Contents
A Home Through History
From Nunnery to Family Estate
In 1538, a man named Richard Williams (alias Cromwell) received the nunnery of Hinchingbrooke. He was a nephew of Thomas Cromwell, a powerful figure during the Reformation. Richard bought the nunnery for a very low price while he was helping to close down monasteries. A fireplace found in the house even has his initials!
His son, Henry Williams (alias Cromwell), who was the grandfather of the famous Oliver Cromwell, made many more changes to the house.
An old writer named Mark Noble visited Hinchingbrooke often in the 1700s. He wrote that the nuns' living areas were still there and used as bedrooms for servants. The nuns' common room became the kitchen. The church was mostly gone, but some parts remained as walls of the house. He also mentioned that when the floor was lowered years ago, stone coffins were found. Henry Williams also added his family's coat of arms and those of his allies to the house's bow windows.
Royal Visitors at Hinchingbrooke
Hinchingbrooke House has welcomed many important guests over the centuries. Queen Elizabeth I stayed at the house in August 1564. She visited after enjoying events at Cambridge University.
Later, King James I came to Hinchingbrooke on April 27, 1603. Sir Oliver Cromwell, who owned the house at the time, gave the king gifts like hawks, horses, hounds, and a gold cup. King James returned on December 7, 1610. Prince Henry, the king's son, also stayed there on August 8, 1612.
Changes and Restorations
Rebuilding After Fire
In 1830, a serious fire damaged Hinchingbrooke House. The famous architect Edward Blore helped to restore and rebuild it. The house was restored again in 1894 and then in the 1960s. During the most recent restoration, workers found the entrance to the chapter house, which was a meeting room for the nuns. However, not much of the original medieval building can be seen today.
The house was even featured and shown in the Country Life magazine on November 2, 1907.
Hinchingbrooke Today
A School and More
In 1970, Hinchingbrooke House became part of Hinchingbrooke School. It now houses the school's sixth form, which is for older students. Hinchingbrooke School used to be called Huntingdon Grammar School. That school, located where the Cromwell Museum is now, was attended by both Oliver Cromwell and Samuel Pepys. Today, Hinchingbrooke School has about 1,900 students.
Even though it's a school, Hinchingbrooke House is also used for other things. During the Halloween season, it transforms into a popular scare attraction called "The Horror at Hinchingbrooke House." It also serves as a place for conferences, dinner dances, and weddings.
Hinchingbrooke House is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic building. You can even take tours of the house on Sunday afternoons during the summer.
