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Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #36

...as also a tennis court to the side of the house near the Beech Walk which would have required constant mowing during the summer months, as it was well used.    "Anyone for tennis?"  - 1920s style!   One of the family told us that back in the early days the head gardener was pushed around in a wheelchair when he was older, inspecting the lawns – apparently if he saw a weed amongst the grass blades he would tell one of the gardeners to pluck it out straightaway! Emily Meynell Ingram employed a Mr Rowley especially to carry out her plans of planting the yew hedges, of which there were many. At each side of the garden was a long walk bordered by yew he...

See you in court #27

...The saga of my parents’ split continued as we grew up in our stately home, although their behaviour was anything but stately for most of the time! Seven years of arguing and fighting were about to come to an end and the solicitors had finally agreed on a date to go to court. We carried on helping my dad to run the Hall and he still went to his boat in Caernarfon at weekends to get away from the house but we were all getting weary of it now. We were young adults and wanting to get on with our own lives. After five years together we were hoping to get married at some point so we were glad that it was finally going to be sorted out one way or another. Gavin was...

See you in court #27

...SEE YOU IN court:     The saga of my parents’ split continued as we grew up in our stately home, although their behaviour was anything but stately for most of the time!  Seven years of arguing and fighting were about to come to an end and the solicitors had finally agreed on a  date to go to court.  We carried on helping my dad to run the Hall and he still went to his boat in Caernarfon at weekends to get away from the house but we were all getting weary of it now.  We were young adults and wanting to get on with our own lives.  After five years together we were hoping to get married at some point so we were glad that it was finally going to be sorted...

Moving Day Arrives #2

...size of a tennis court! I’m not sure if my parents knew we were doing this but it was good fun while the room was empty – it was incredible that we didn’t do any damage to the large ornamental pieces hanging from the ceiling!! And so the summer rolled into Autumn and we were about to start our new schools. I was moving up to secondary school having passed my 11 Plus and was going to the local grammar school in nearby Uttoxeter – well I say nearby but it was actually about 10 miles away and I had to catch a double decker bus to get there. At least the school bus hadn’t been cancelled! My brother went to the local primary school down the hill from our h...

Moving in - to a stately home! #2

...Overgrown tennis courts at the Hall And so the summer passed as we got used to our new living conditions. We lived on the first floor where the caretakers had been as these were the only rooms near to a working bathroom and small kitchenette. I sometimes wonder how my mum coped with a young family in such conditions – my younger brother was only 2 years old and it was my job as big sister to look after him so my parents could get on with sorting the house out. Of course we were always exploring the grounds as there was so much to see. The woods at the front of the house had a little pumping station in them and we discovered two huge ponds nearby. We found o...

Change and the Country House #61

...Hoar Cross Hall was clearly a very different house in the Victorian era compared to today.  Like other country houses it has not been immune from the social and economic changes affecting all walks of life over the last hundred years. At the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1837 the local landowner with his country house and estate was the focal point of the community, often dispensing law, charity and education.  The estate would also provide employment for the local people and over fifty locals were employed on the Hoar Cross estate in the house and grounds plus many more on Home Farm along with carpenters, electricians and plumbers to keep the esta...