Ashburnham House
Encyclopedia
Ashburnham House is an extended seventeenth-century house on Little Dean's Yard
in Westminster
, London
, United Kingdom
, and since 1882 has been part of Westminster School
. It is occasionally open to the public, when its staircase and front drawing room in particular can be seen to be superb.
The current Ashburnham House was built by Inigo Jones
or his pupil John Webb around the time of the Restoration
, as a London seat for the family that became the Earls of Ashburnham
. It incorporates remains of the mediæval Prior's House, and its garden is the site of the monks' refectory
, and some of the earliest sittings of the House of Commons
: one instance in which they met in the refectory was to impeach Piers Gaveston
, in the time of Edward II.
The library
of historic manuscripts was kept here, to which was later added the old King's or Regius Library: the books and manuscripts which now form the heart of the British Library
are still referenced by the busts which used to stand over their bookcases in Ashburnham. A fire in Ashburnham House on 23 October 1731 damaged much of the library; a contemporary records the librarian, Dr. Bentley, leaping from a window with the priceless Codex Alexandrinus
under one arm. The manuscript of Beowulf
was damaged, and reported in '"The Gentleman's Magazine
.
The House was the object of a scandalous legal and parliamentary battle between the canons of Westminster Abbey
and Westminster School
for twenty years after the Clarendon Commission
recommended that Westminster Abbey
surrender it to the School upon the demise of its current occupant, the redoubtable sub-dean The Reverend Lord John Thynne, who lived there with his equally formidable wife and nine children. The Dean and Chapter attempted to evade their obligations under the Public Schools Act
, by purportedly using their control of the School's Governing Body to sell out the school's statutory right for the benefit of the Canons. Even after this was defeated by a debate in Parliament, Lord John survived until 1881, once surprising the headmaster looking over his garden wall with the words "Not Dead Yet, Dr. Gow!"
The house was the original location of Westminster's first day-house
, also known as Ashburnham House, from when it was founded until it moved in 1951 to 5 Dean's Yard
.
During the Second World War
, the library was used as a communications station for the Royal Air Force
, the ground floor as the American officers' "Churchill Club", and a senior conference facility for secret military purposes.
In 1969, it was used as one of the locations for the film The Magic Christian.
Little Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard, known to Westminster School just as Yard, is a private gated yard at the heart of the school, within the precincts of the ancient monastery of Westminster....
in Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and since 1882 has been part of Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. It is occasionally open to the public, when its staircase and front drawing room in particular can be seen to be superb.
The current Ashburnham House was built by Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
or his pupil John Webb around the time of the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, as a London seat for the family that became the Earls of Ashburnham
Earl of Ashburnham
The title Baron Ashburnham , of Ashburnham in the County of Sussex, was created in the Peerage of England in 1689 for John Ashburnham, grandson of the John Ashburnham who assisted King Charles I to escape from Oxford and Hampton Court Palace...
. It incorporates remains of the mediæval Prior's House, and its garden is the site of the monks' refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, and some of the earliest sittings of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
: one instance in which they met in the refectory was to impeach Piers Gaveston
Piers Gaveston
Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall was an English nobleman of Gascon origin, and the favourite of King Edward II of England. At a young age he made a good impression on King Edward I of England, and was assigned to the household of the King's son, Edward of Carnarvon...
, in the time of Edward II.
The library
Cotton library
The Cotton or Cottonian library was collected privately by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton M.P. , an antiquarian and bibliophile, and was the basis of the British Library...
of historic manuscripts was kept here, to which was later added the old King's or Regius Library: the books and manuscripts which now form the heart of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
are still referenced by the busts which used to stand over their bookcases in Ashburnham. A fire in Ashburnham House on 23 October 1731 damaged much of the library; a contemporary records the librarian, Dr. Bentley, leaping from a window with the priceless Codex Alexandrinus
Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible,The Greek Bible in this context refers to the Bible used by Greek-speaking Christians who lived in Egypt and elsewhere during the early history of Christianity...
under one arm. The manuscript of Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
was damaged, and reported in '"The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
.
The House was the object of a scandalous legal and parliamentary battle between the canons of Westminster Abbey
Dean and Canons of Westminster
The Dean and Canons of Westminster are the ecclesiastical body of Westminster Abbey, a collegiate church of the Church of England and royal peculiar in Westminster, England. They meet in Chapter and are also known as the Dean and Chapter of Westminster....
and Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
for twenty years after the Clarendon Commission
Clarendon Commission
Following complaints about the finances, buildings and management of Eton College the Clarendon Commission, a Royal Commission, was set up in 1861 to investigate the state of nine leading schools in England at the time. The Clarendon Report was published in 1864 with general recommendations on the...
recommended that Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
surrender it to the School upon the demise of its current occupant, the redoubtable sub-dean The Reverend Lord John Thynne, who lived there with his equally formidable wife and nine children. The Dean and Chapter attempted to evade their obligations under the Public Schools Act
Public Schools Act
The Public Schools Acts are a series of Acts of the same name passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The following is a list of such Acts:* The Public Schools Act 1868* The Public Schools Act 1873...
, by purportedly using their control of the School's Governing Body to sell out the school's statutory right for the benefit of the Canons. Even after this was defeated by a debate in Parliament, Lord John survived until 1881, once surprising the headmaster looking over his garden wall with the words "Not Dead Yet, Dr. Gow!"
The house was the original location of Westminster's first day-house
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
, also known as Ashburnham House, from when it was founded until it moved in 1951 to 5 Dean's Yard
Dean's Yard
Dean's Yard, Westminster, comprises most of the remaining precincts of the former monastery of Westminster, not occupied by the Abbey buildings. It is known to members of Westminster School as Green, and referred to without an article...
.
During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the library was used as a communications station for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, the ground floor as the American officers' "Churchill Club", and a senior conference facility for secret military purposes.
In 1969, it was used as one of the locations for the film The Magic Christian.