Stansted Hall facts for kids
Stansted Hall, sometimes called Steanstead Hall, is a historic building found in Stansted Mountfitchet, a village in Essex, England. This grand hall has a long and interesting history, changing hands many times over the centuries. It was once a country home for important families, including the Earls of Essex during the time of Henry VIII of England.
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The First Stansted Hall
The very first Stansted Hall was built during the Tudor period. This means it was around when kings and queens like Henry VIII ruled England. Sadly, parts of this old Tudor hall were later damaged by a fire.
Building a New Hall
In the early 1660s, after the fire, a new and much bigger hall was built. This was done by Sir Thomas Myddelton, who was once the Lord Mayor of London. He created a huge four-story building in the Jacobean style. This style was popular during the time of King James I. The new hall even had two large towers with dome-shaped roofs. The older Tudor hall stayed standing nearby for many years, at least until 1770.
Changes to the Gardens
In 1791, a very famous landscape designer named Humphry Repton worked on the gardens at Stansted Hall. He was known for creating beautiful parks and outdoor spaces. Repton made special "red books" with his designs, showing how he planned to change the landscape.
The Fuller Maitland Family
The hall's ownership changed again when the Fuller Maitland family took over. This happened because of a marriage and a large inheritance.
A Big Inheritance
Ebenezer Maitland married Miss Berthia Ellis. Her grandfather, William Fuller, was a wealthy banker in London. In 1810, William's only surviving heir, Sarah Fuller, passed away. She left all her money and property to Ebenezer and Berthia. This was a huge amount, about £500,000 at the time! As part of the will, Ebenezer had to add "Fuller" to his last name, becoming Ebenezer Fuller Maitland. This is how Stansted Hall became the property of the Fuller Maitland family.
A New Manor House
The manor house you see today was started in 1871 by William Fuller Maitland, who passed away in 1876. The building was finished after his death, in 1876. Some parts of the older Jacobean hall that survived were even used in the new building. The Fuller-Maitland family owned Stansted Hall for many decades. However, William Fuller-Maitland (who died in 1932) sold the estate in 1921.
Stansted Hall Today
In 1923, James Arthur Findlay bought the estate. He was a very important person in the history of the hall. In 1964, Mr. Findlay gave Stansted Hall, its land, and money to create the Arthur Findlay College. This college is a special place for studying spiritualism and psychic sciences.
