Apley Hall
Encyclopedia
Apley Hall is an English
Gothic Revival
house located in Stockton, Shropshire
. The building was completed in 1811 with adjoining property of 180 acre (0.7284348 km²) of private parkland
beside the river Severn. It was once home to the Whitmore , Foster and Avery families. The Hall is a Grade II* listed building claimed as one of the largest in the county of Shropshire
.
had been feudal landowners of Apley since 1572 when the manor was purchased by William Whitmore(d.1593), a haberdasher of London. The will of William Whitmore, dated 6th August 1593 records:
William Whitmore's eldest son was Sir William Whitmore of Apley, knight, High Sheriff of Shropshire
in 1620, and his second son was Sir George Whitmore
(d.1654), Lord Mayor of London. Sir William resided at Apley and in 1634 purchased the manor of Balmes in Hackney, held under a lease by his father, for his brother Sir George, who there received King Charles I in 1641.
Sir William's son and heir was Sir Thomas Whitmore, 1st Baronet
(d.1653)
The existing Georgian style house was remodeled during the Regency period
in Neo-Gothic style between 1808 and 1811 for Thomas Whitmore, High Sheriff of Shropshire
in 1806 and Member of Parliament
for Bridgnorth
1806-1831. It incorporated a faux chapel, hexagonal turrets and battlements. Design work is attributed to members of the architectural family of Thomas Wyatt
and construction work was undertaken by the Carline family of Shrewsbury
.
In 1867, the Foster family purchased the property for a record amount and remodelled it during a revival of Gothic style
in the Victorian
period. Famous English eccentric Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners
was related to the Foster's and was born at Apley in 1883. The Hall and Estate remained in Foster family ownership until 1960 when the last incumbent of the Foster family died.
Due to the vastness of the house and its substantial upkeep it was difficult to find a family willing to occupy Apley Hall and so alternative uses were sought. In 1962 the house became a private school
and remained so until its closure in 1987.
Apley Hall remained empty and suffered a great deal of deterioration and vandalism
during the following 10 years and was listed on the English Heritage
Buildings at Risk Register. In 1997 the house was bought by Neil Avery an entrepreneur
and conservation specialist as a family home. The house was restored and subsequently removed from the Buildings at Risk Register.
There had long been speculation that Jeeves and Wooster
author P.G.Wodehouse had based his fictitious Blandings Castle
on Apley. In 2003, Dr Daryl Lloyd and Dr Ian Greatbatch (two researchers in the Department of Geography and Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London
) made use of a Geographic Information System
to analyse a set of geographical criteria, such as a viewshed
analysis of The Wrekin
and drive time from Shrewsbury. Their final conclusion was that Apley was the best suited location for fulfilling the geographical criteria
During 2004 the house was sold to specialist developers who have since divided the Hall into several self-contained apartment
s.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
house located in Stockton, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. The building was completed in 1811 with adjoining property of 180 acre (0.7284348 km²) of private parkland
Parkland
Parkland or Parklands may refer to:* A park* Aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie and boreal forest * Landscaped parkland, a managed rural area associated with European country houses such as Longleat-Place names:United States...
beside the river Severn. It was once home to the Whitmore , Foster and Avery families. The Hall is a Grade II* listed building claimed as one of the largest in the county of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
.
History
The Whitmore familyWhitmore Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Whitmore family, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
had been feudal landowners of Apley since 1572 when the manor was purchased by William Whitmore(d.1593), a haberdasher of London. The will of William Whitmore, dated 6th August 1593 records:
ANNO 36 ELIZABETH.
Monday next after the Feast of S. Ambrose, Bishop [4 April]
Whitmore (William), haberdasher.—To George, William, and Thomas his sons he leaves the manor or lordship of Stockton, co. Salop, and his lands, tenements, &c., at Stockton, Apley, Hickford, Astley, and Norton, co. Salop, by equal thirds, in several tail, with cross remainders; remainder to Elizabeth, Anne, Margaret, Mary, "Francis," and Jane his daughters. Provision made against cutting off the entail. To Anne his wife the farm called "Balmes," (fn. 14) situate in the parishes of Hackney, Shorditch, and Tottenham, for life; remainder to all his children equally. Dated 6 August, 35 Elizabeth [A.D. 1593].
Roll 274 (15).
William Whitmore's eldest son was Sir William Whitmore of Apley, knight, High Sheriff of Shropshire
High Sheriff of Shropshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1620, and his second son was Sir George Whitmore
George Whitmore (Lord Mayor)
Sir George Whitmore was an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of London in 1631. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War....
(d.1654), Lord Mayor of London. Sir William resided at Apley and in 1634 purchased the manor of Balmes in Hackney, held under a lease by his father, for his brother Sir George, who there received King Charles I in 1641.
Sir William's son and heir was Sir Thomas Whitmore, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Whitmore, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Whitmore, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England between 1640 and 1644. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War.-Biography:...
(d.1653)
The existing Georgian style house was remodeled during the Regency period
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
in Neo-Gothic style between 1808 and 1811 for Thomas Whitmore, High Sheriff of Shropshire
High Sheriff of Shropshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1806 and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth (UK Parliament constituency)
Bridgnorth was a parliamentary borough in Shropshire which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1295 until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1885.It...
1806-1831. It incorporated a faux chapel, hexagonal turrets and battlements. Design work is attributed to members of the architectural family of Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt may refer to:* Thomas Wyatt , English poet* Thomas Wyatt the younger , rebel leader* Thomas Henry Wyatt , British architect...
and construction work was undertaken by the Carline family of Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
.
In 1867, the Foster family purchased the property for a record amount and remodelled it during a revival of Gothic style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
in the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
period. Famous English eccentric Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners
Baron Berners
Baron Berners is a title in the Peerage of England.-From creation to first abeyance :The title was created in 1455 for Sir John Bourchier, youngest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu, and younger brother of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex and William Bourcher, Baron FitzWarine...
was related to the Foster's and was born at Apley in 1883. The Hall and Estate remained in Foster family ownership until 1960 when the last incumbent of the Foster family died.
Due to the vastness of the house and its substantial upkeep it was difficult to find a family willing to occupy Apley Hall and so alternative uses were sought. In 1962 the house became a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
and remained so until its closure in 1987.
Apley Hall remained empty and suffered a great deal of deterioration and vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
during the following 10 years and was listed on the English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Buildings at Risk Register. In 1997 the house was bought by Neil Avery an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and conservation specialist as a family home. The house was restored and subsequently removed from the Buildings at Risk Register.
There had long been speculation that Jeeves and Wooster
Jeeves and Wooster
-External links:*—An episode guide to the series, including information about which episodes were adapted from which Wodehouse stories.*—Episode guides, screenshots and quotes from the four series....
author P.G.Wodehouse had based his fictitious Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle
Blandings Castle is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being the seat of Lord Emsworth , home to many of his family, and setting for numerous tales and adventures, written between 1915 and 1975.The series of stories which take place at the castle,...
on Apley. In 2003, Dr Daryl Lloyd and Dr Ian Greatbatch (two researchers in the Department of Geography and Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
) made use of a Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
to analyse a set of geographical criteria, such as a viewshed
Viewshed
A viewshed is an area of land, water, or other environmental element that is visible to the human eye from a fixed vantage point. The term is used widely in such areas as urban planning, archaeology, and military science...
analysis of The Wrekin
The Wrekin
The Wrekin is a hill in east Shropshire, England. It is located some west of Telford, on the border between the unitary authorities of Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. Rising to a height of above the Shropshire Plain, it is a prominent and well-known landmark, marking the entrance to Shropshire...
and drive time from Shrewsbury. Their final conclusion was that Apley was the best suited location for fulfilling the geographical criteria
During 2004 the house was sold to specialist developers who have since divided the Hall into several self-contained apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s.