BERRINGTON HALL, Herefordshire.
Herefordshire has long been a county associated with Farming and Agriculture in all its varieties. Apples (and of course Cider) to Wheat, Sheep to the famous breed of Herefordshire Cows….it would seem to have always been a rich and productive County of middle England. As such it has always attracted the rich, and the nobility, who have either wished to share the riches or simply enjoy the glorious countryside. As a result the county is dotted with many great estates, many dating back to medieval times others by comparison much more recent.
As the day was wet (very) we decided to visit one of the ‘newer’ Halls and estates….Berrington Hall.
The Hall and Estate was created with the wealth of Banker Thomas Harley. He commissioned Henry Holland in 1778 to design a Grand Country House in the French style whilst Capability Brown (Holland’s Farther in Law) was commissioned to lay out the estate grounds and gardens. Upon the death of Harley the estate passed to the noble Rodney Family in 1804. Some bad investments resulted in the sale of the estate in 1901 which was then purchased by Frederick Cawley M.P., later to be knighted Lord Cawley. Lord Cawley loved the house and ensured that the redecoration was sympathetic to the original style whilst still making improvements. The House and Estate today is now being cared for by the National Trust.
So here is a brief Tour of the House as you will see it today much in the style of the early to middle 1900’s
NB. Many of the Costumes featured above are from the BBC production of “Pride and Prejudice“. 11th October (C) David Oakes 2014 Posted 16th October
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 