Building record 8044/1/1 - Harrowden Hall (Wellingborough Golf Club)

Early 18th century three-storey country house comprising a main block with flanking two storey wings and incorporating a medieval undercroft. The house is built of limestone ashlar with early 18th century wrought iron gates with tall panelled gate piers. Now a club house for Wellingborough Golf Club. Possibly by Francis Smith for Thomas Wentworth-Watson. Limestone ashlar with copper roof.

{1}Rainwater heads dated 1719, but interior appears earlier, ie fireplace 1667, probably built on site of older house of Charles Knollys Earl of Banbury - inherited 1674 and sold in 1694. Exterior circa 1720.

{2}Long stood unoccupied - property of Earl Fitzwilliam, inherited from late Marquis of Rockingham.

{3}Fitzwilliam archives - plan of house 1791 with inventories of house 1782, 1761.

{5} Country house, now club house. Probably C15 origins but almost entirely early C18; dated rainwater head 1719. Possibly by Francis Smith for Thomas Wentworth-Watson. Limestone ashlar with copper roof. Double-pile plan. 2 and 3 storeys. Entrance front of 11-window range with centre 5 bays breaking forward, flanking bays are 2 storeys only. Central, double, 6-panel doors have moulded stone surround with a cornice over. Sash windows throughout reducing at second floor; all with glazing bars, moulded stone architraves and aprons below sills. Flat string courses between floors. Rusticated quoins at corners. Moulded stone cornice with lead parapet above. Shallow pitched roofs are not visible. Panelled ashlar stacks at ends with moulded stone cornices. Side elevations to left and right of entrance front also has sashes. Garden front is similar of 11-window range with centre 5 bays making only a shallow break with the flanking bays. Central part-glazed doors have semi-circular flight of steps. Interior: entrance hall, office, ladies cloakroom and parts of rooms to garden front have C18 fielded panelling with matching doors. Entrance hall has marble fireplace with heraldic overmantle. C18 main staircase with quarter landings, around an open well, has 3 turned and fluted balustrades per tread. Wall paintings to staircase walls are attributed to Lanscroon in the style of Verrio. First floor Vaux room and rooms to garden front at first and second floor have C18 fielded panelling with matching doors and some bolection moulded fireplace surrounds. Evidence of earlier house in cellars. Forms part of group with cottages, shop, changing rooms and ancillary buildings, Harrowden Hall, and attached gatepier (q.v.) and part of a formal layout with gates, gatepiers, railings, walls and attached summer house extending to approx. 300m. North, south, east and west of Harrowden Hall (q.v.), statues approx. 30m. North-east (q.v.) and south-east (q.v.) and 60m. South-east (q.v.), statue base approx. 60m north-east (q.v.), and steps approx. 10m. East (q.v.) and gates, gatepiers and railings approx. 300m. East of Harrowden Hall (q.v.). The gardens and park are included in the HBMC County Register of Gardens at Grade II*. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.234; Country Life, Vol.XXIV, p.910. Halls and Manor Houses of Northamptonshire by J.A. Gotch, p.61).

{6} The present house, begun by 1719 for Thomas Watson, was substantially complete by his death in 1723. A probate inventory taken that year makes it possible to identify the function and arrangement of most of the rooms. Only minor alterations have been made subsequently. The house has a remarkably unified appearance and, except for the odd alignment of the service range, there is little to suggest that it was not created in a single building campaign on an open site. However, in the basement, part of a medieval undercroft and a 17th century cellar survive from an earlier house and determine the position, orientation and to some extent the dimensions of the Watson house. This earlier fabric belongs to a mansion of the Vaux family who owned the estate from the 15th century. The house retains many of its original fittings including doors and panelling, a fine fireplace in the hall and a well-preserve staircase of high quality, though the paintings on canvas that decorated the stairhall have been dmaged and reduced in size.

{7} Early C18th compartmentalised formal gardens, little altered, and former deer park associated with an early C18th country house.

{9} Harrowden Magna. The manor house now built by Mr Wentworth stands high and hath good gardens. 1694 Charles Knolles, Esq sold manor to Hon Thomas Wentworth the present possessor. Owns whole lordship except one small meadow, was in Vaux family.

{10} Very beautiful gardens. On gatepiers and iron gates are the Watson arms. Thomas Watson Wentworth later First Marquess of Rockingham bought house 1694 and chapel 1905. Three groups of lead statuary are probably contemporary with the house, a copy of Giovanni aa Boigna's Samson and the Phillistan.

{12} The hall long stood unoccupied. Property of Earl Fitzwilliam, inherited from late Marquis of Rockingham.

{14} Undated photo;

<1> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<2> Evans J., 1813, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN44614.

<3> 1791, FITZWILLIAM ARCHIVES, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN48280.

<4> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 14/135 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<5> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<6> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.225-229 (part checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<7> English Heritage, 1994, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1994, Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Report). SNN1324.

<8> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<9> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.102 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<10> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<11> GOTCH J.A., 1940, Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN58776.

<12> Evans J., 1813, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN44614.

<13> Austruther G., Vaux of Harrowden, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN60749.

<14> Photographs of buildings in Great Harrowden (Photographs). SNN112509.

<15> 1974, Country Life (1974), 17-Oct-74, p. 1086-1089 (Journal). SNN29444.

<16> 1974, Country Life (1974), 24-Oct-74/ p. 1190-1193 (Journal). SNN60447.

<17> 2008, Country Life (2008), 26-Dec-08/p. 910-920 (Journal). SNN115865.

<18> Historic England, Undated, HARROWDEN HALL, GREAT HARROWDEN, BF061871 (Archive). SNN115866.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:20PM