Stoneleigh Abbey facts for kids
Stoneleigh Abbey is a grand old house and estate located south of Coventry, England. It's near the village of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire. The Abbey building is very important, listed as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a special historic place.
Contents
The Story of Stoneleigh Abbey
How it Began: A Monastery's History
Back in 1154, King Henry II gave land in the Forest of Arden to a group of Cistercians. These were monks from Staffordshire. You can still see parts of their original monastery buildings today. The most famous part is the old Gatehouse, which was built in the 1300s.
From Monks to a Family Home
After the time when monasteries were closed down in England, called the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Stoneleigh estate was bought by Sir Thomas Leigh in 1558. He was the Lord Mayor of London. Later, King Charles I gave the Leigh family a special title. This was because Sir Thomas had offered the king a place to stay when the gates of Coventry were closed to him during the English Civil War.
A new house was built on the site of the old monastery. This house now forms the north and east parts of the current building. The Leigh family lived here from 1561 all the way until 1990. Over time, they became the biggest landowners in Warwickshire.
Building the Grand West Wing
Between 1714 and 1726, a huge new part of the house was added. This was a fancy four-story wing with fifteen sections, designed by architect Francis Smith of Warwick. This new part, called the West Wing, was built from beautiful silver-colored stone. It was a very popular style at the time.
One of the most amazing rooms in the Abbey is the Saloon. It's known for its incredible plasterwork, which is like detailed art made from plaster on the walls and ceiling.
Changes to the Gardens and Grounds
The famous landscape designer Humphry Repton made many changes to the grounds around Stoneleigh Abbey. He was well-known for his work at large country houses.
In 1806, the estate was inherited by Rev. Thomas Leigh. He visited his new home with his cousins, Cassandra and Jane Austen. Jane Austen, a famous writer, even mentioned Repton's work in her book Mansfield Park.
Repton had big plans for Stoneleigh. He wanted to build an arcade, which is like a covered walkway, on the side of the house facing the River Avon. This idea never happened. However, he did change the path of the river. He also flooded a part of it to create a "mirror lake." When you stand on a raised platform across the river, the house perfectly reflects in the water.
In the past, there were small flower gardens in front of this side of the house. Now, there is grass. You can still explore other parts of the grounds by walking along the paths, like the wilderness area, the mill bridge, and the weirs.
Sports and Famous Visitors
The old stables and riding school, along with the conservatory, are also important historic buildings.
A long time ago, in the early 1800s, the side of the house would have looked out onto a yard with sheds and other farm buildings. For health reasons, these buildings were moved away from the house. This created a lovely view from the new West Wing. It also made space for a cricket pitch.
William Henry Leigh's second son, Edward Chandos, loved cricket. He was very happy when his father allowed the pitch to be built. It's even said that Lord Leigh would give a silver sixpence to any boy who could hit a cricket ball through a house window! The cricket pitch is still used today by the Stoneleigh Cricket Club. It has been called the most beautiful cricket pitch in England by Wisden.
One of the rooms in the West Wing has a statue of the famous poet Lord Byron. This statue was made by Edward Hodges Baily. Chandos Leigh, a member of the Leigh family, and Lord Byron were friends from school. They even had dinner together the day before Byron left England for the last time in 1816.
Queen Victoria herself stayed at Stoneleigh Abbey for two nights in 1858. She was given a special set of five rooms with white and gold furniture. This was because William Henry Leigh was told that was the Queen's favorite style.
Stoneleigh Abbey Today
Opening to the Public and Restoration
In 1946, Stoneleigh Abbey was one of the first large country houses to open its doors for people to visit. Sadly, in 1960, a big fire caused a lot of damage to the West Wing.
In 1996, Lord Leigh gave ownership of Stoneleigh Abbey and its 690 acres of land to a charity called the Stoneleigh Abbey Preservation Trust. Between 1996 and 2000, the Abbey was carefully repaired and restored. This work was helped by large grants from groups like the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage. More than 1,000 tons of special stone were used to fix the outside of the West Wing. Up to 45 stonemasons worked on the main part of the project.
The upstairs parts of the Abbey were turned into flats and apartments. Later, a new independent charity was set up to make sure the Abbey would be safe for the future.
The property is still open for people to visit today. The old Orangery, which used to be a greenhouse for orange trees, now has a tea room where visitors can relax.
Restoring the Pump House
A historic pump house and water wheel at Stoneleigh Abbey have been restored to their original condition. This was part of a big project to save and protect old structures on the grounds. It also helped bring back many of the views and walks that Humphry Repton had designed.
The chairman of the Stoneleigh Abbey Charitable Trust, Mr. Tony Bird, oversaw the full restoration of the large water wheel and an 1851 water pump. The repairs to the Pump House were partly paid for by Natural England. This included fixing the roof and cleaning off years of lime scale.
A trustee, Dorothy Ingle, said it was wonderful to see the wheel turning again. She explained that it helps people understand how the garden and house worked over 100 years ago. The pump house was built in 1851 on the site of the Abbey's old medieval water mill on the River Avon. Visitors can now see the restored pump house as part of the Abbey's country park.
Images for kids
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The north and east wings of the house
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The facade of the West Wing
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The Saloon
