Monument record 2838/2 - Apethorpe Palace

{1} "….here is seat of Earl of Westmorland neatly built of free-stone & consisting of quadrangle on east side with open cloisters; on south side is stone statue of James I who gave timber for building east & south side; Thomas Fane succeeded in 1699 & is descended from Mildmay family….";

{2} House & manor belonged to Guy Wolston in 1491 & early in C16th to his son-in-law; bought by Henry Keble in 1515; his grandson Lord Mountjoy sold property to Henry VIII in 1543; in 1550 passed to Sir Walter Mildmay & passed from his son to grandson-in-law Sir Francis Fane in 1617; latter became Earl of Westmorland & estate remained in his family until 1904 when bought by MP Leonard Brassey who later became Lord Brassey of Apethorpe; house now used as school.

{3} Apethorpe Hall formerly residence of Earl of Westmorland & now that of Mr Leonard Brassey stands south of village in park of about 44 acres; in 1543 manor sold to King by Charles Lord Mountjoy & manor & park were granted in early part of next reign to Lady Elizabeth (King's sister); grant was soon withdrawn & in 1550 park & manor were granted to Sir Walter Mildmay; in 1617 passed in marriage to Fane family Earls of Westmorland with whom it remained until 1904 when sold to Leonard Brassey.

{7} "….Apethorpe is beautiful place hardly inferior to Rushton in antique charm of its house & gardens".

{8} Copies of Jenny Burt's notes from various sources.

{9} Copy of plan of 1623 showing layout of gardens.

{13} Photographs of gardens showing parterres to left of house & sunken garden enclosed by yew.

{14} In 1711 large scale works on gardens commenced with building of brick walls etc; bricks were made by E.Perry; gardener at time was Antipas Wyles; details work which was done including bills/charges etc; accounts include references to 44 large flower pots of stone & 32 lesser ones.

{16} Sir Walter Mildmay given Apethorpe manor in reign of Edward 6th; erected Apethorpe Hall (probably 1564).

{17} Hall was begun by Sir Guy Woolston in late C15th; in 1550 it passed to Sir Walter Mildmay & in 1617 to Sir Francis Fane who was later Earl of Westmorland; latter responsible for much rebuilding; Elizabeth I stayed in 1566; James I used Apethorpe for hunting & stayed in 1605 & 1614 & 1616 & 1619; 7th Earl of Westmorland began ambitious Palladian remodelling c.1740 which was not completed; alterations made in mid C19th; in 1904 estate was sold to Leonard Brassey, later Baron Brassey & grandson of railway contractor Thomas Brassey; he engaged Sir Reginald Blomfield as architect; in 1949 house became Approved School; unoccupied in 1967.

{18} Hale & Apethorpe were acquired by Sir Guy Wolston c.1480; he was part of household of Dukes of York & became usher to King's Chamber to Edward IV; 3 times sheriff of Northamptonshire & constable of Fotheringhay Castle in 1464; knighted in 1487; he began building large house at Apethorpe; his son-in-law sold property in 1515 to grocer & Lord Mayor of London Henry Keble & his son-in-law Lord Mountjoy; in 1545 Mountjoy sold it to Crown; c.1550 property passed to courtier Sir Walter Mildmay; he became Treasurer of Household & Chancellor of Exchequer; Elizabeth I was entertained at Apethorpe in 1566 & James I stayed in 1605 & 1612 & 1614 & 1616 & 1619; latter's main occupation there was hunting; in 1617 Apethorpe passed to Fanes who later became Earls of Westmorland; in 1622 King gave Fane 100 trees & permission to buy 100 more to enlarge Apethorpe for royal entertainment; 1st Earl thus rebuilt much of hall; illustrations include C19th copy of early C18th plan of garden layout; 7th Earl began but did not complete ambitious Palladian remodelling c.1740; Fanes held Apethorpe until 1904 & had almost complete control of village; in 1904 estate sold to Leonard Brassey who employed Sir Reginald Blomfield to modernise house; in 1949 house was converted for use as Approved School; since 1972 has been in ownership of County Council; much of early C18th garden layout can still be traced.

{20} Sir Reginald Blomfield worked on house & gardens in 1904.

{21} After acquiring Apethorpe manor between 1480 & 1491 Sir Guy Wolston began building present house which stands to south of village; he served in household of Richard Duke of York & became Usher of Chamber to Edward IV from 1466-79 & then Squire of Body; he was constable of Fotheringhay Castle in 1464; also county sheriff in 1468 & 1487 & 1491; MP for county 1472-5; after his death his daughter & her husband sold property to group including London merchant Henry Keble & William Blount 4th Lord Mountjoy; estate was sold to King in 1543; in 1550 Apethorpe was acquired by exchange by Sir Walter Mildmay who became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1566; he entertained Queen here in 1566; ownership passed by marriage to Sir Francis Fane who bought Earldom of Westmorland at great expense in 1624; James I & Charles I visited Apethorpe on several occasions to hunt; house became favourite retreat for James & it was here that he first met court favourite George Villiers.

{22} Westmorland papers include account books from 1649-1736 in an incomplete series & letters & inventories.

{24} In 1640 2nd Earl of Westmorland Mildmay Fane wrote & privately produced his 1st piece of dramatic poetry; his career as playwright lasted for 10 years during Civil War period when public theatres were closed (1642-1660); his work is significant as that of other playwrights during this period have not survived well; his dramas were essentially political allegories & although Royalist he critisised both sides for destabilising English life; 4 of his 8 works show evidence of having been produced at Apethorpe where Earl maintained private theatre for entertainment of his family & friends; his productions were quite revolutionary in English theatre & employed stage sets which would have required dedicated room space or purpose-built theatre; details of 2nd Earl's life given along with descriptions of his plays; lists some of Apethorpe household involved in productions.

{25} Seat of Earl of Westmorland; details of planting around garden & parkland; gardener at time was Mr Ewart.

{45} Following Public Inquiry in 2004 the Secretary of State confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order. Historic England took possession of the site in September 2004 and carried out a programme repairs over the following decade. The building was purchased by a private buyer in 2015. Intrusive former school buildings have been demolished and further repairs and renovations are planned. Public access for 50 days a year is managed by English Heritage.

Smith, P., 2010, The Motor Car and the Country House: Historic Buildings Report (Report). SNN114369.

<1> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.423-29 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<2> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.84-88 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<3> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.543-48 (part checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<4> 1898, Country Life (1898), p.560-2 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107225.

<5> NEALE J.P., 1826, Seats of The Nobility and Gentry, (unchecked) (Series). SNN42585.

<6> MILDMAY FANE COLLECTION, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN54484.

<7> Gotch J.A., 1890, The Renaissance in Northamptonshire, 87-114 (Paper/s). SNN42225.

<8> SUPPLEMENTARY FILE, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN51622.

<9> GOTCH J.A., 1940, Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN58776.

<10> 1778, Apethorpe Inclosure Award, (unchecked) (Map). SNN4652.

<11> Ordnance Survey, 1900, Second Edition OS 25 Inch Mapping Series (12.04), (checked) (Map). SNN56337.

<12> 1935, TORRINGTON DIARIES, 248 (Uncertain). SNN56324.

<13> Binney M.; Hills A., 1979, Elysian Gardens, p.20 (unchecked) (Article). SNN42578.

<14> WEIGALL R., 1906, APETHORPE AND ITS OWNERS, 942.0066 MIL/WEI (Book). SNN42579.

<15> Colvin H., 1995, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects (1660-1840), 562 (Book). SNN54451.

<16> NORTHAMPTONSHIRE NOTES AND QUERIES, 172 (Uncertain). SNN42581.

<17> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.2-5 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN40683.

<18> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.5-16 (checked) (Series). SNN77384.

<19> TIPPING H.A., 1909, Apethorpe Hall, 414-423 (Journal). SNN54485.

<20> TIPPING H.A., 1909, Apethorpe Hall, 450-459 (Uncertain). SNN42267.

<21> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.58-69 (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<23> Gotch J.A., 1936, The Old Halls and Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, 29-32 (Book). SNN44101.

<24> MORTON G.W., 1989, MILDMAY FANE'S NORTHAMPTONSHIRE THEATRE, 397-408 (Report). SNN42191.

<25> 1895, APETHORPE, 495 (Article). SNN42204.

<26> JEKYLL G., 1918, GARDEN ORNAMENT, 190+214 (Uncertain). SNN56344.

<27> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, Misc.Vol.37 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<28> 1623, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN56345.

<29> ROUND J.H., FAMILY ORIGINS, 60-72 (Uncertain). SNN56349.

<30> COCKAYNE G.E., COMPLETE PEERAGE, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN56350.

<31> CHAMBERS E.K., 1923, THE ELIZABETHAN STAGE, 83 (Uncertain). SNN54487.

<32> NICHOLS J., 1828, THE PROGRESSES....OF KING JAMES I, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN56351.

<33> PRO IND/6746, PRO IND/6746 (Document). SNN54346.

<34> ROYAL COMMISSION ON HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS, 256 (Uncertain). SNN54488.

<36> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<37> English Heritage, 2008, Apethorpe Hall: From Royalty to Rogues, p.20 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN106109.

<38> English Heritage, 2008, Apethorpe Excavations, p.24 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN106110.

<39> English Heritage, 2006-8, The Apethorpe Hall Research Programme, (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN106114.

<40> Cattell, J. (Ed.), 2007, Apethorpe Hall: Survey, Research and Analysis, (unchecked) (Report). SNN106269.

<41> Tillemans P., 1721, View of the Earl of Westmorlands House and of the Church and Steeple at Apethorp, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN109155.

<42> Driver J.T., 2004, the Careers of Sir Ralph Hastings and Sir Guy Wolston: Two Northamptonshire Gentry as Knights of the Shire in the Parliament of 1472-5 and Servants of The Crown, p.7-20 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109354.

<43> Arnold, A., Howard, R., & Tyers, C., 2015, Apethorpe Hall, Apethorpe, Northamptonshire: Tree-ring analysis of timbers, unchecked (Report). SNN110288.

<44> Morrison, K., 2016, Apethorpe: The Story of an English Country House, (unchecked) (Book). SNN110397.

<45> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 51 (Report). SNN110747.

<46> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 58 (Report). SNN111090.

<46> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 58 (Report). SNN111434.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 1:40PM