Eastern England’s May visit to Holme Pierrepont Hall
On 18th May, 25 members braved the highways and byways of South Nottinghamshire to the tiny hidden hamlet (12 houses), of Holme Pierrepont. Despite dubious advice from their various satnav systems, they all made it successfully!
After a welcome cup of coffee or tea, and biscuits, our tour of the Hall commenced, led by Robert Brackenbury, a descendent of the Pierrepont family. He started by giving us a brief history of the family, since it arrived in England with William the Conqueror
Holme Pier epont Ha l & Church 1676 in 1066.
He started by advising that the Hall was the oldest brick-built building in Nottinghamshire, and remained in the family after a large part of the family estates were sold off. This followed a wild spending spree in the 19th Century, and to cover Death Duties in the 20th. After about 40 years of hard work by the present owners, Robert’s parents, the hall has been brought back from the verge of ruin, to a very pleasant home and venue for weddings, etc. We learned that the courtyard garden has been re-created, by Elizabeth Brackenbury, based on 18th Century designs from the family archives.
A most interesting tour followed,
beginning with the mediaeval part
of the hall, clearly built to impress people, and used initially as accommodation for the family’s
guards. The family at the time lived
in a now-demolished area at the rear
of the property.
During the Civil War, started when Charles I raised his standard in Nottingham,
(see http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/civil_war_england.htm) and centred
very much on the local area, family members hedged their bets. Two Pierrepont brothers took opposite sides; the net result being that the house was attacked by
neither, when other local houses were.
Later, when visiting the adjacent church, we found that the family had been linked by marriage to the notorious Bess of Hardwick. Some nationally important monuments to family members were pointed out, as was a churchyard memorial to a refugee from the French Revolution.
A rather wet morning!
Members adjourned then for refreshments in a local pub, where they had an excellent lunch, (even the
“Golden Oldies” menu
provided ginormous portions!),
while some strived to maintain
their falling fluid levels.
Ian Godson
Eastern England’s May visit to Holme Pierrepont Hall
On 18th May, 25 members braved the highways and byways of South Nottinghamshire to the tiny hidden hamlet (12 houses), of Holme Pierrepont. Despite dubious advice from their various satnav systems, they all made it successfully!
After a welcome cup of coffee or tea, and biscuits, our tour of the Hall commenced, led by Robert Brackenbury, a descendent of the Pierrepont family. He started by giving us a brief history of the family, since it arrived in England with William the Conqueror
Holme Pier epont Ha l & Church 1676 in 1066.
He started by advising that the Hall was the oldest brick-built building in Nottinghamshire, and remained in the family after a large part of the family estates were sold off. This followed a wild spending spree in the 19th Century, and to cover Death Duties in the 20th. After about 40 years of hard work by the present owners, Robert’s parents, the hall has been brought back from the verge of ruin, to a very pleasant home and venue for weddings, etc. We learned that the courtyard garden has been re-created, by Elizabeth Brackenbury, based on 18th Century designs from the family archives.
A most interesting tour followed,
beginning with the mediaeval part
of the hall, clearly built to impress people, and used initially as accommodation for the family’s
guards. The family at the time lived
in a now-demolished area at the rear
of the property.
During the Civil War, started when Charles I raised his standard in Nottingham, 
(see http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/civil_war_england.htm) and centred
very much on the local area, family members hedged their bets. Two Pierrepont brothers took opposite sides; the net result being that the house was attacked by
neither, when other local houses were.
Later, when visiting the adjacent church, we found that the family had been linked by marriage to the notorious Bess of Hardwick. Some nationally important monuments to family members were pointed out, as was a churchyard memorial to a refugee from the French Revolution.
A rather wet morning!
Members adjourned then for refreshments in a local pub, where they had an excellent lunch, (even the
“Golden Oldies” menu
provided ginormous portions!),
while some strived to maintain
their falling fluid levels.
Ian Godson
