The history of Hurlingham

In June, Hurlingham in south west London will once again welcome the game of polo to its grounds. This year, Chesterton Humbers are property sponsors for Mint Polo in the Park, taking place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of June. As part of our involvement with the event, I was asked to research the history of Hurlingham.

Hurlingham House

I completed a brochure on the history of the house and the world-famous club, as well as delving into its intimate connection with the game of polo.

The riverside area where Hurlingham is situated today was in the hands of the Bishops of London as far back as 1066, but it remained open land for centuries. It wasn’t until the 17th century that Hurlingham Fields became the site of an isolation hospital when the plague spread through England. In fact, the area where the lake is situated today is believed to have been the site of a plague pit.

It wasn’t until 1760 that Dr William Cadogan leased nine acres of Hurlingham Field to build a ‘cottage’. The house was later re-fronted, with the grand neo-Classical facade that we see today, by George Byfield for John Ellis. The house saw a number of alterations over the years, and also welcomed a number of notable visitors, including The Duke of Wellington, Lord Admiral Nelson, David Garrick, Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Prime Minister George Canning.

Hurlingham Club was officially established in 1869 and since that time has been a highly sought after sports and social club. Polo was first introduced to England in 1869, but it was a few years later, in 1874, that the first polo match took place at Hurlingham.

Since that time until the middle of the 20th century, the name of Hurlingham was synonymous with that of polo. There were often queues of carriages waiting to get in and games were often watched by members of the British monarchy, as well as royalty from across Europe.

Sadly, after World War II, the polo grounds at Hurlingham were subject to a compulsory purchase order and long regarded association came to an end. However, after 70 years of being absent, polo returned to Hurlingham with the introduction of MINT Polo in the Park in 2009.

For a more detailed history of Hurlingham and polo at Hurlingham go to – History of Hurlingham

For more details on Chesterton Humberts’ sponsorship go to – News

For more details on this years event – go to MINT Polo in the Park and for more details on Hurlingham Club visit – Hurlingham Club

Tags: Chesterton Humberts, Dr Cadogan, Fulham, George Byfield, Hurlingham, Hurlingham Club, John Ellis, polo, Polo in the Park

Medieval Wiltshire house – Bachelor’s Mead

Bachelor's Mead

I was fortunate to trace the owners and occupiers of the house back to the 16th century when Elizabeth I was on the throne! Prior to that it was part of the manor belonging to the Bishops of Sarum.

Timber crucks dating to 1350

The house passed through a number of prominent local families, until in the 19th century it was sold to the Crown and was the home of Simon Bishop and his family, including his wife Mary, who established a small village school in the newly extended part of the house.

The old school room - now the living room

For details of Bachelor’s Mead – visit Chesterton Humberts

For more on the history of Bachelor’s Mead - go to my Country Life blog

Or to read the complete history – The History of Bachelor’s Mead – Horton

Tags: Bishops of Sarum, Country Life, Devizes, Elizabeth I, Horton, timber crucks, Wiltshire

The Cottage – Church Path in Deal

This 18th century Grade II listed house, on the market with Chesterton Humberts, was known for many years as ‘The Cottage’ and is believed to have been the local bailiff’s house.

Church Path

The house is constructed with Kent brick and peg-tile and features original interior panelling. Situated along the quiet Church Path in Deal, the house dates back to the 18th century, but it has been suggested that it could date back even earlier to the 17th century. The owners of the house have been traced back to the mid 19th century when it was the home of Matthew Kennett, from a prominent local family who had been boat-builders and mariners in Kent since the 18th century. However, the Matthew Kennett in ‘The Cottage’ was a solicitor and the Mayor of Dover. He was following in the footsteps of his father, also named Matthew who had also been the Mayor of Dover before him.

Interior panelling

The house passed through members of the Kennett family until, at the turn of the 20th century, it became the home of Catherine Matilda Plumptre Kennett. When Catherine Kennett passed away in 1915 the house was purchased by Travers Biddy Harby, a solicitor with Stilwell & Harby in Dover.

By 1922 the house was sold to Frederick Bond Horncastle, formerly landlord of the Deal Castle Inn, and from that time it continued to be home to members from the Horncastle family until the 1980s.

Church Path

For full details on the house along Church Path – visit our website

For the property brochure go to – Church Path – Deal

Tags: Church Path, Deal, Deal Castle Inn, grade II listed, Matthew Kennett, Mayor of Dover, peg-tile

The gallows to the home of a prime minister

My latest blog for Country Life takes me to a lovely Georgian Square in the heart of London. Connaught Square was built over fields during the 1820s, which a few years earlier had been the location for the Tyburn Tree, London’s main execution site from 1388 to 1783.

Tyburn Tree 1680

The area was part of a large estate belonging to the Bishop of London (and today is still held by the Church Commissioners). It was in 1795 that the Bishop acquired permission to grant building leases and a grand plan was drawn up by estate surveyor, Samuel Pepys Cockerell. Connaught Square was the first square built on the Hyde Park Estate, constructed during the 1820s. The simple Georgian designs of brick and stucco were by architect, Thomas Allason.

Connaught Square

Connaught Square has been the home of a number of notable residents, including ballerina, Marie Taglioni; author, Nigel Balchin; DJ, Paul Oakenfold; and more recently TV presenter, Claudia Winkleman. However, Connaught Square is most famous for its connection with former prime minister, Tony Blair and his family.

Georgian terraces of Connaught Square

Chesterton Humberts are currently selling a six bedroom house on Connaught Square – for more details check our website – Connaught Square 

For the full story of Connaught Square and this house visit my latest blog post for Country Life.

Tags: Church Commissioners, Claudia Winkleman, Connaught Square, Country Life, Georgian terraces, Hyde Park, Marie Taglioni, Nigel Balchin, Paul Oakenfold, Samuel Pepys Cockerell, Thomas Allason, Tony Blair, Tyburn Tree

Skeleton in the priest hole

A few months ago I was asked to research a lovely timber-framed house in Wiltshire. Tucked away in a small village, the house was built in the early 1600s and has been closely linked with a Civil War commander, but it was the story of a 300 year-old skeleton uncovered in the house that caused the biggest shock!

Unfortuntely, I’m not able to reveal the exact details of the house, but as there was so much interest in the story of the skeleton the owner has given me permission to tell the story.

The house has been traced back to the early 17th century, at the time James I became King of England. The first owners of the house, whose ancestors had lived in the area since the 16th century were a prominent Catholic family and the house is believed to have been constructed with a priest hole, or one was installed shortly after the house was completed. To be a Catholic during the 16th and 17th centuries was a dangerous choice with many measures against any Roman Catholic or ‘Papist’ practices enforced during the reign of Elizabeth I. After the Gunpowder Plot against James I in 1605 the restrictions were tightened with harsh repercussions.

This meant that many Catholic families took steps to provide hiding places in their homes where Mass could be held in secret and also a place for a priest to hideaway if ’priest-hunters’ came knocking. This created the curious priest holes that appeared in country houses across the country.

It was only a short time ago that the current owner of this house met a former occupant and the story of the skeleton came out. During the late 1940s, the owners were renovating the house and it was while ripping away at old partitions that they uncovered the gruesome sight of an old priest hole…with the priest still in it!! He was apparently still clothed as he had been 300 years earlier!

Very few details of the former priest have been uncovered, but it can only be surmised that the family placed the poor man in the hole but were then prevented from allowing him out again.

This historic 17th century house has many other stories to tell, having also been closely linked with Royalist cavaly commander during the Civil War, Prince Rupert; been the home of generations of the same local family; and even the story of a ghost been sighted on a number of occasions. But, for now I need to refrain until the owner gives me the go-ahead to tell the full story. However, I hope you enjoyed the snippet of history related to the poor priest who climbed into a safe hiding place only to never come out again.

Tags: Catholic, Civil War, Elizabeth I, ghost, Gunpowder Plot, James I, priest, priest-hole, skeleton, Wiltshire

Victorian Stafford Terrace – Kensington

My latest blog for Country Life looks at A brief history of Stafford Terrace in the heart of Kensington, London.

Terraced houses in Stafford Terrace

Stafford Terrace is one of many streets laid out during the mid-Victorian period as part of developments on the Phillimore Estate.

The Phillimore Estate was acquired in the early 18th century, but can actually be traced back to 1612 when it is believed Baptist Hicks won the estate in a card game with neighbouring landowner Sir Walter Cope of Holland House.

By the 1840s, the estate had passed to Robert Phillimore and from that time was known as the Phillimore Estate. From 1805 (and possibly earlier) the agent for the Phillimore estate was Charles Chesterton, the founder of Chesterton estate agents. The Chesterton firm acted as agents for the Phillimore’s for over 250 years. For more on the history of Chesterton – visit our website for my full history.

Old Chesterton office - Kensington High Street 1904

By the 1850s, there had already been a number of plans for building development across the Phillimore estate. It is also believed that Charles Chesterton’s son, Arthur was heavily involved in the plans and layout of the Phillimore estate, including Campden Hill Road, Phillimore Gardens and Stafford Terrace. After a few changes and alterations, most of the grand houses were built during the late 1850s and 60s. Stafford Terrace was the last street to be completed, with building leases granted in 1868 and all the houses occupied by 1874.

Interior of Victorian Stafford Terrace

Today, Stafford Terrace is known as the location of the former home of Punch Illustrator, Edward Linley Sambourne. The Sambourne family moved into No.18 Stafford Terrace in 1874-5 and since that time very little of the interior design has altered. Today, it is open to the public as a museum of Victorian interior design and Victorian domestic living. It is a rare survivor of the ’Aesthetic interior’ style and features original William Morris wallpaper, stained glass windows and rich interior decoration.

For more information about the Linley Sambourne House Museum – visit website

Chesterton Humberts currently having two homes for sale in Stafford Terrace:

Six bedroom house – Stafford Terrace

Three bedroom flat – Stafford Terrace

For more on the history of Stafford Terrace, you can read – A brief history of Stafford Terrace – Kensington

The race of the property blog awards

In the last week it has been announced that Primelocation.com are once again holding their property blog awards, with categories for Best Blog, Best Newcomer, Best Blog Post and Users’ Favourite.

Amongst many excellent blogs related to property I have been short-listed for the Users’ Favourite award. However, this category requires your support – it just takes two seconds to vote – Here …it’s a tough competition, so every vote is greatly appreciated

This is a fiercely fought category, with five other excellent blogs also in the running: Property Newshound; Moregeous; A little drop of Cognac; BuyingAgent and Karen Haller.

It is lovely to know that people still find my little historical ramblings interesting and that the history of property is still valued and important.

Primelocation.com first initiated the property blog awards in late 2009 and I was fortunate to be the first to be awarded the Best Newcomer award.

The race for the 2010-11 awards appears tougher than ever, so don’t forget to vote:
http://www.primelocationblog.com/uk/vote-for-your-favourite-property-blogger

Tags: A little drop of Congnac, Karen Haller, moregeous, primelocation.com, Property Agent, property blog awards, property newshound

Bloody Bridge and highwaymen – Historic Belgravia

I recently spent many hours researching and reading about the history of Belgravia for a new historic brochure on the area. This historic part of central London is well known for its grand stucco houses and tree-lined streets and often known as ‘Cubbittopolis’ for its association with historic builder, Thomas Cubitt, but there is so much more to the history of the area than big houses.

The release of the brochure (which can be viewed here: http://www.chestertonhumbertspublications.com/history_of_belgravia.html) was combined with an event in our Knightsbridge and Belgravia branch where I spoke to an audience about the history of Belgravia.

Excerpt from map by John Rocque - 1746

The above map shows the area, including ‘Bloody Bridge’ which was the bridge over the river Westbourne and was the site of many attacks and murders, giving it the name.

The area was marshy and water-logged, so no building was undertaken until the early 19th century, when Thomas Cubitt drained the land allowing him to create solid foundations for new houses for the Duke of Westminster.

Belgrave Square by George Basevi

There are many stories to the history of Belgravia, from the early period through to the architects and builders of the now famous stucco houses, and the famous residents who have called it home. The full history is featured in the brochure, which can be viewed here – http://www.chestertonhumbertspublications.com/history_of_belgravia.html

Event at Knightsbridge and Belgravia - December 2010

Tags: Belgrave Square, Belgravia, Bloody Bridge, Cubbittopolis, Duke of Westminster, Five Fields, George Basevi, highwaymen, Knightsbridge, stucco, Thomas Cubitt

Creative residents in St John’s Wood

My latest blog for Country Life features the story of a grand Victorian house in St John’s Wood with views over Lord’s cricket ground.

Built in 1838, this home has formerly been the home of poet, Louis Macneice; lyricist, Douglas Furber; and the former editor of Tatler, John Oliver.

Some of the earliest residents were a family of ladies, with head of the house, matriarch Mrs Beckles from the Carribean. However, during the 20th century the house was often occupied by creative residents, and was often visited by others, including author of Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons.

Read more about the stories of No.10 Wellington Place at Country Life or for the complete history of the house – The History of No.10 Wellington Place

For details of the house, on the market with Chesterton Humberts, visit – Wellington Place

Tags: Cold Comfort Farm, Douglas Furber, John Oliver, Lord's Cricket Ground, Louis Macneice, St John's Wood, Stella Gibbons, Tatler, Wellington Place

The book is on its way!

I thought I would use the opportunity of my first blog post for 2011 by telling you about…my first book! It is official that my book, House Histories: The Secrets Behind Your Front Door, will be publishing in late spring this year!

2010 was a very busy year for me, with the interest in house histories continuing to grow, plus the added challenge of writing a book while also continuing a full-time job. Thankfully the bulk of the work is finished and we’re now heading towards the exciting part of the official launch!

The book is a collection of stories of houses from across the UK, including a 15th century chantry house, a ground-breaking Modern style country house, as well as the homes of P.G. Wodehouse and H.G. Wells. The book looks at the stories of many different types of houses from across the country and features a mixture of period styles, all of which are accompanied by photographs and images of historic documents.

My first book, published by The History Press, will be available in late spring 2011 (although it is available for pre-order on Amazon now). I hope you’ll all like it!