Kiplin Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kiplin Hall |
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The west front of Kiplin Hall viewed from the lake
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| Location | Kiplin, North Yorkshire, England |
| Area | Vale of Mowbray |
| Built | 1622–1625 |
| Architectural style(s) | Jacobean architecture |
| Type | Cultural and arts |
| Criteria | i |
| Designated | 29 January 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1315476 |
| Country | England |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Extensions | 1720s, 1820s |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Reference no. | 1226284 |
Kiplin Hall is a beautiful old house in North Yorkshire, England. It was built in the Jacobean style and is a very important listed building. You can find it near the River Swale in the Vale of Mowbray. Kiplin Hall is like a living history book. It teaches us about architecture, art, and the lives of the families who lived there. Today, it's a museum and art gallery.
Contents
Building Kiplin Hall: A 17th-Century Story
Kiplin Hall was built between 1622 and 1625. It was made for George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. He was an important person who later helped start the state of Maryland in America.
The house was first built as a hunting lodge. It was made of red bricks with special blue-black bricks that made diamond patterns. This design is called diapering. Kiplin Hall has four towers, which are unusual. They are not on the corners but in the middle of each wall. The towers on the north and south sides hold staircases. The east and west towers are part of the rooms. Each tower has a cool dome shape at the top.
Changes in the 18th Century
In 1722, the Calvert family sold Kiplin Hall. It was bought by Christopher Crowe for £7,000. Crowe had been a British Consul in Italy. He became very rich by supplying the British navy with wine and olive oil. He also collected old art for rich British families.
Crowe found the house a bit uncomfortable. The Calvert family had never actually lived there. So, he started making big changes. He added a grand staircase, new fireplaces, and decorative dado rails. He also built a servants' wing on the north side. This wing was mostly taken down in the 1970s. Crowe also made the Kiplin estate much bigger, to about 4,000 acres.
Kiplin Hall in the 19th Century
In 1817, Sarah Crowe, a great-granddaughter of Christopher Crowe, married John Delaval Carpenter. Sarah inherited Kiplin Hall the next year. In 1819, she hired an architect named Peter Frederick Robinson. He built a new wing on the south side of the house. This room was designed in a Gothic style and was used as a drawing room.
Sarah and John had one daughter, Elizabeth, who sadly died the day she was born. This meant they had no one to pass the house to. After her husband passed away, Sarah died in 1868. She left the estate to Captain Walter Cecil Talbot. He was a distant cousin of her husband.
Captain Talbot inherited Kiplin Hall with some interesting rules. He had to change his last name to Carpenter. He also had to marry a Protestant and have his faith checked every seven years! He agreed to these rules and moved into the house in 1887. He hired another architect, William Eden Nesfield. Nesfield added another floor to the Gothic drawing room. This space was then turned into a Jacobean-style library. Captain Talbot's second wife, Beatrice de Grey, was involved in the Arts and Crafts movement. Because of her, the Hall has beautiful works by local artists in this style. Captain Talbot became an Admiral but died in 1904. His only daughter, Sarah Marie Talbot Carpenter, then inherited the Hall.
Kiplin Hall in the 20th Century
Sarah Talbot Carpenter married Christopher Hatton Turnor in 1907. They did not have any children. The couple never lived at Kiplin Hall. Instead, they rented it out. Over time, parts of the estate were sold off. This meant the estate became much smaller.
In 1937, Sarah Turnor shared ownership of the Hall with her cousin, Bridget Elizabeth Talbot. Bridget Talbot loved visiting Kiplin Hall as a child. She had even helped save another historic estate before. She tried to get the National Trust to take over Kiplin Hall. But they weren't very interested.
World War II and Saving Kiplin Hall
During World War II, the Royal Air Force used Kiplin Hall. It was a place to store weapons for nearby airfields. Some rooms were also turned into apartments for officers. Soldiers from the East Lancashire Regiment also used it to recover after being rescued from Dunkirk.
In 1968, Bridget Talbot created the Kiplin Hall Trust. This trust was set up to protect Kiplin Hall forever. Its goal was to keep the Hall beautiful and historically important for everyone. Bridget Talbot passed away in 1971. She left everything in the Hall to the Trust. The Trust still takes care of Kiplin Hall today.
Bridget Talbot was an amazing woman. She received an Italian medal for her brave work with the Red Cross during World War I. She also invented a waterproof torch for lifebelts. This invention saved many seamen during World War II. She was a true hero!
Kiplin Hall Today: The 21st Century
After a lot of work to fix it up, Kiplin Hall is now open to the public. It offers a look into almost 400 years of life in North Yorkshire.
There's a special exhibition that tells the story of George Calvert. It also shows the lives of all the families who lived in Kiplin Hall over the centuries. You can find old records of Kiplin Hall and its families at the North Yorkshire County Record Office.
Kiplin Hall also has programs for students. These programs help kids learn about art, history, geography, and science. They have special activities like "Victorian Childhood" and "Nature Detectives."
Working Together: Kiplin Hall's Partnerships
Kiplin Hall works with several universities.
- In 1986, the University of Maryland opened a study center at Kiplin Hall. It was built in what used to be a stable and blacksmith's shop. Students studying architecture and planning use this center.
- Washington College in Maryland offers a summer course there. Students learn about English literature. They also visit historic places nearby.
- The University of South Carolina has a summer course at Kiplin Hall. Students learn about how museums and historic sites are managed. They get to go behind the scenes and meet curators.
Awards for Kiplin Hall
Kiplin Hall has won some special awards! In 2012, it received two "Hudson's Heritage Awards." It won "England's Hidden Gem" and "Best New Discovery." These awards show how special Kiplin Hall is.
Images for kids
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Front of the hall and main entrance
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Front of the hall showing the later library extension
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Back of hall from lakeside
