Kirby Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kirby Hall
Kirby Hall in 2016
General information
Type	Country house
Location	Gretton, Northamptonshire
Coordinates	52°31′27″N 0°38′14″W / 52.52417°N 0.63722°W / 52.52417; -0.63722
Completed	17th century
Owner	English Heritage

Kirby Hall is a magnificent old country house located near Gretton, Northamptonshire, England. It's considered a "Grade I listed building," which means it's a very important historic site. Built during the Elizabethan era (when Queen Elizabeth I ruled), Kirby Hall is a fantastic example of a "prodigy house." These were huge, impressive homes built to show off wealth and welcome important guests, like the Queen herself.

Construction on Kirby Hall began in 1570. It was designed with ideas from French architecture books. Over the years, it was expanded in a grand, Classical style. Today, parts of the house are without roofs, but the main hall and important rooms are still standing. The beautiful gardens, with their detailed designs, statues, and urns, have been carefully brought back to life.

A Grand Elizabethan Home

Kirby Hall was first built in 1570 for Sir Humphrey Stafford. Just five years later, in 1575, Sir Christopher Hatton bought the property. Sir Christopher Hatton was a very important person; he was the Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I. This made Kirby Hall one of the most important Elizabethan houses in England.

Royal Visitors

Many important people visited Kirby Hall over the years. Anne of Denmark, who was the wife of King James I, stayed at Kirby Hall on August 9, 1605. Her husband, King James I, stayed nearby at Rockingham Castle at the same time.

King James I himself visited Kirby Hall nine times between 1608 and 1624. One of his visits in August 1616 lasted for three days. These royal visits show how important and grand Kirby Hall was during that period.

The Hall's Journey Through Time

Kirby Hall eventually passed down through different families. It was inherited by Edward Finch, whose family later became known as the Finch-Hattons. In 1791, George Finch-Hatton, who would later become the 10th Earl of Winchilsea, was born at Kirby Hall.

Changes and Decline

In the 1780s, George Finch-Hatton started to update the inside of the house. He wanted it to look more modern, in the style of the 18th century. He even removed and sold some of the old wooden panels from the Tudor period, replacing them with wallpaper. However, the outside of the house remained the same.

The family later built a new, very grand home called Eastwell Park. Once it was finished, the family moved there completely. This meant Kirby Hall slowly began to decline.

Abandoned and Preserved

By the late 1880s, Kirby Hall was mostly empty and falling into ruin. The 12th Earl of Winchilsea, whose name was Murray Finch-Hatton, had a dream. He hoped to save and restore the house to its former glory. Sadly, he was never able to make his dream come true before he passed away in 1898.

Today, the building and its gardens are still owned by the Earl of Winchilsea. In 1927, Kirby Hall was officially named a "scheduled monument." This means it's a nationally important historic site that is protected by law.

Kirby Hall on Screen

Kirby Hall's beautiful and historic setting has made it a popular place for filming movies and TV shows. Some of the productions filmed here include:

• An episode of Kenneth Clark's TV series Civilisation.
• The 1999 film Mansfield Park, based on the book by Jane Austen.
• The 1999 film A Christmas Carol for Ealing Studios.
• In 2014, the popular BBC One show Antiques Roadshow also visited Kirby Hall.

Images for kids

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  The giant order is exceptionally early for England (Courtyard)

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  North front from inner courtyard with bust of Apollo in the middle.

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  Kirby Hall in 1829 (gate courtyard)

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  North outer courtyard gate

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  other facade of the giant order (Courtyard)

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  Sir Christopher Hatton in Lord Chancellor attire

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  Raised Terrace

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  Oblique view (side & rear)

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  The builder, Christopher Hatton by Nicholas Hilliard, 1588-1591

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  Great Hall

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  renovated as library by George Finch Hatton

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  used as ballroom by George FH and Lady Elizabeth (disrepair)

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  Billiard room