Building record 3969/2/1 - Rushton Hall (Rushton Hall School)

A courtyard house with possible early 16th century origins, altered in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The hall was extended during the 19th century and in 1957 became a school for blind children. By 2005 it had been converted into a country house hotel. Summary from record 3969/2: A courtyard house with possible early 16th century origins, altered in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The hall was extended during the 19th century and in 1957 became a school for blind children. By 2005 it had been converted into a country house hotel.

{1} Great house, now school. Perhaps early C16 origin, altered and enlarged late C16 and early C17 (gables dated 1595, 1626, 1627 and 1630), altered and partly reconstructed in C19. Much of the elaborate interior detail is also C19 or early C20. Limestone ashlar with Collyweston stone slate roofs, coped gables and numerous stone ridge and lateral stacks. 2 storeys and attic. Courtyard plan of 3 ranges with linking screen to east. East front: screen has broad central entrance, a round-headed doorway with double studded doors, and niches containing statues of warriors to either side, divided by fluted tapering pilasters carrying classical entablature and Gothic style balustrade of quatrefoils alternating with tiny trefoil-headed lights (in existence by 1741), carrying reclining figure with cornucopia and dolphin. 4 bays to either side, divided by pilasters, each bay with a 3-light stone mullioned window. Parapet and balustrade with urns. Gable ends of wings to left and right have 2-storey canted bay windows with parapet and strap-work cresting, and 6-light double-stepped (6-lights then 4, then 2) attic windows in shaped gables with finials. Balustrades and corner finials. 2-storey, one-bay additions to outside of each gable have a 4-light mullion-and-transom window to ground floor and a window of 2 round-headed larger-than-usual lights to first floor, and parapet with blind Gothic tracery (pattern as to central screen balustrade). Interior of courtyard: south range, divided by buttress, has great hall to right lit by 2 4-light mullion-and-transom windows with hood-moulds and a tall bow window with castellated parapet. Left of buttress, is a similar bow window (with some blind lights) added in C19 (or 1905 - date on rainwater head), and C19 mullion and transom windows. West range much restored in C19, has canted bay window to right of centre and mullion and transom windows with hoodmoulds. Buttressed north range, apparently rebuilt after fire of 1835, has similar windows and 3 canted bays. String course below attic storey which has parapet, divided by pilasters decorated with strapwork, balustrade and 3 gables to each range. Central west gable is shaped and has a double-stepped mullion and transom, window (reflecting gable-ends at north and south ranges) dated 1627. Other gables are straight-sided some with dates or carved motifs, and all have finials. Casement windows with decorative leaded glazing, incorporating some stained glass. South range, extended to south 1848-52 with bow and canted bay windows, gabled wing projecting from south end of west front of patchy ironstone rubble with pale stone quoins and plinth, keyed for render, has coped gables, finial and kneelers ornamented with tiny trefoils, emblem of the Tresham family. Interior: great hall has restored hammerbeam roof. Early C17-style staircase has plaster ceiling with strapwork and a central pendant with mermaids. Oratory in south-west wing has painted plaster relief panel of the Crucification, dated 1577. Much elaborate C17-style, interior detail. Home of the Tresham family from 1438, sold in 1619 to Sir William Cockayne, in whose family it remained until 1828, when it was sold to W.W. Hope. At his death in 1854 the estate was sold to Clara Thornhill (later Clarke-Thornhill), after whose death in 1865 it was leased to various tenants. It is now a school for blind children. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: pp397-400)

{3} Threshams were seated at Sywell before Rushton; acquired Rushton estate in 1438; details given of Tresham contact with Catholic faith & possibility of involvement with Gunpowder Plot; some years after Treshams left Rushton was purchased in 1619 by Sir William Cockayne then Lord Mayor of London; he & his son carried out building works on hall; son was created Viscount Cullen by Charles I in 1642; property remained with family until 1828 when sold to Mr William Williams Hope of Amsterdam; in 1854 property again sold this time to Clara Thornhill; became tenanted.
Illustrations: East Front & Corner of Courtyard with Bay Window; description of main building

{4} William Tresham probably inherited manor of Sywell from his father & in 1437 purchased manor of Rushton for himself; henceforward this was principal seat of Treshams; William was murdered in 1450; his son Thomas was beheaded after Battle of Tewksbury in 1471; Thomas' son John contented himself with country life; John's son Thomas was knighted by Henry VIII in 1530; he proclaimed Mary Tudor Queen at Northampton in 1553; he died in 1560 & his grandson Thomas succeeded to large & scattered estate; Thomas is said to have been raised Protestant & must have conformed to Elizabethan settlement or he would never have been knighted in 1570; in 1580 he was reconciled to 'old religion' & thereafter lived life as hostage; spent 15 years in prison; in 1619 estate was bought by London merchant William Cockayne with whose family it remained until 1828; thereafter passed through families of Hope & Clarke-Thornhill & Pain. John Tresham built the main house at Rushton which still retains its original plan even though many alterations & rebuildings have taken place; Thomas Tresham carried out alteration & addition to Rushton Hall in 1595.

{5} Photographs of East Front of hall & corner of courtyard

{7} Sold in 1619 to Sir William Cockayne Skimer & Lord Mayor of London; Cockaynes Viscount Cullen sold house in 1828 to Hope family

{9} "Hall: inner courtyard"; view of buildings on west side of courtyard

{10} Manor of Rushton St Peters held by Lord Cullen; whole seat adjoins garden & paddock equally elegant & pleasant; drawing opposite p.92 shows small south-west view of Rushton Hall & possibly also shows canal.

{11} In 1854 the estate was sold to Clara Thornhill, and her family owned the hall until 1934. Rushton Hall ceased to be a private house in that year when the estate was sold to James Pain Ltd of Corby for agricultural use and stone extraction. During the Second World War, the Hall was used as an Officers’ Training School. It received a Grade I Listing as a Listed Building in 1951. The Hall and a small area of the surrounding grounds was acquired by the Ministry of Works in 1957, in which year it developed as an RNIB school for blind children. The Hazelton family bought the hall in August 2003 and converted it to a 4 star luxury hotel and spa.

{12} In 1619 estate was bought by Mayor of London Sir William Cockayne; his son Charles was created Lord Viscount Cullen in 1642; he & his father completed building of Rushton as witnessed by dates displayed; Cockaynes sold property in 1828 to William Williams Hope Esq of Amsterdam; in 1854 it was sold again to Clara Thornhill

{14} Illustration on stone; shows trees disproportionately tall & house too low

{15} Best view; shows house before alterations of 1758

{20} Contents of house only

{21} In 1601 Catesby had been involved in Essex Rebellion with Francis Tresham another Northamptonshire Roman Catholic; latter lived in splendid Elizabethan house at Rushton

{25} Two undated photos, one photo dated July 1985 and one dated July 1986.

{36} Rushton Hall is mainly 18th century restoration and is in outstanding condition See photograph. The house is owned by the RNIB and is used as a school.

{37} School closed in the early 1990s and re-opened in 2005 as a hotel.

{38} Potted history of the Hall, attributing its building to Sir John Tresham, bringing out the family link with Sir Thomas Tresham (Rushton Triangular Lodge). It is stated that Charles Dickens was a regular visitor and that Havisham Hall in "Great Expectations" is based upon Rushton Hall. The RNIB school opened in 1957, being sold in 2003 to the hotel developers.

{41} Pamphlet, Rushton and its owners, also lithograph by William Winstanley showing east prospect of the hall in 18th century;

{42} Three photos dated Autumn 1966;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 4/230 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), J12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100754.

<3> Gotch J.A., 1936, The Old Halls and Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, 38-45 (unchecked) (Book). SNN44101.

<4> ISHAM G., 1970, THE TRIANGULAR LODGE AT RUSHTON, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN46927.

<5> 1896, Rushton And Its Owners, (unchecked) (Article). SNN77120.

<6> Smith D.; Hayward R., 2004, An Historic Building Record of The Panelling in The Principal Rooms of Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN104861.

<7> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.397-400; Plate 52a (Series). SNN1320.

<8> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, (re-check!) (Book). SNN41757.

<9> Gotch J.A., 1890, The Renaissance in Northamptonshire, 87-114 (unchecked) (Paper/s). SNN42225.

<10> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.67 (checked) (Book). SNN77326.

<11> Finn, C., 2015, A programme of archaeological observation, investigation, recording and analysis at Rushton Hall, Rushton, Northamptonshire, September 2015, checked (Report). SNN110402.

<12> Adams G.E., Some Account of The Family of Cockayne at Rushton: Their Principal Residence, (part checked) (Uncertain). SNN46928.

<13> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 91 (Journal). SNN111755.

<14> HARDING J.D., 1820, RUSHTON HALL, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN46941.

<15> WINSTANLEY, 1741, THE EAST PROSPECT OF LORD CULLEN'S SEAT AT RUSHTON, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN46942.

<16> 1870, MEMORANDA, (unchecked) (Document). SNN59663.

<17> BERKLEY G.C., 1879, FRANCIS TRESHAM OF RUSHTON: GUNPOWDER PLOT - A TALE OF C17TH, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN59664.

<18> 1871, CALENDAR OF PAPERS OF TRESHAM FAMILY PRESERVED AT RUSHTON HALL: 1580-1605, (unchecked) (Paper/s). SNN58429.

<19> PAGE J.T., SIR THOMAS TRESHAM & HIS BUILDINGS, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN58430.

<20> 1913, Sale Catalogue, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN44331.

<21> DEACON M., 1969, THREE MIDLAND CONSPIRATORS, 8-11 (unchecked) (Article). SNN44333.

<22> Fryer H.; Burt J.; Adams L.; Carter S.; Hutton Attenborough J., 2004, Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire: Preliminary Historic Landscape Appraisal, (unchecked) (Report). SNN104687.

<23> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<24> STEANE J.M., 1977, The Development of Tudor and Stuart Garden Design in Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Article). SNN69732.

<25> Photographs of buildings in Rushton (Photographs). SNN113165.

<26> NEALE J.P., 1826, Seats of The Nobility and Gentry, (unchecked) (Series). SNN42585.

<27> Coward J., 2017, An assessment of historic fabric revealed at Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111516.

<28> THE GHOST BRIDE OF RUSHTON HALL, (unchecked) (Article). SNN54711.

<29> Northamptonshire County Magazine, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN60225.

<30> 1981, THE ASTOR FAMILY, (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN60226.

<31> 1977, MUSHROOMS AND TOADSTOOLS, (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN54712.

<32> Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Article). SNN60227.

<33> 1909, Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire, 454-61 (unchecked) (Article). SNN58243.

<34> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, 65 (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN46934.

<35> Williams, R, 2001, A Catholic Sculpture in Elizabethan England: Sir Thomas Tresham's Reredos in Rushton Hall, pp. 221-227 (Article). SNN114497.

<36> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 10-JUN-1969 (Notes). SNN112950.

<37> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Information from member of the public left on the PastScape website, 10-AUG-2008 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<38> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, < http://www.rushtonhall.com/section.asp?id=62 > accessed on 11-AUG-2008 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<39> Historic England, Undated, RUSHTON HALL, RUSHTON, BF061891 (Archive). SNN116261.

<40> David Smith, 1980s?, Northants Buildings, 14 colour slides (Slides). SNN116363.

<41> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/234/19,66 (Archive). SNN115.

<42> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Feb 19 2025 12:03PM