Country Houses Association
Encyclopedia
The Country Houses Association (CHA) was a British charity (a friendly society
with charitable status) that converted country houses into retirement flats and maintained them from 1955 until its liquidation in 2004.
was the chair of the CHA from 1996 until 2002.
The Association finally went into liquidation in December 2003 with the liquidators being Deloitte & Touche. The Association stated it went into liquidation because of falling demand for its apartments, the increasing age-profile of residents and the increased regulation surrounding the business. The trustees were told they could not use charity funds to support loss-making businesses with no future prospects.
At the time of its liquidation in 2003 the CHA owned 8 houses:
A 9th house, Greathed Manor near Dormansland in Surrey (originally called Ford Manor when designed by Robert Kerr
, but changed in 1960 to Greathed Manor by the CHA in memory of its founder) had its long lease (commencing in 1959 from the Nichols family, descendants of the Spender-Clay family) sold in about 2002, at the beginning of the Association's financial troubles. In 2008 it was adapted into a nursing home. There was apparently also a 10th house run by the CHA. This may have been Otterden Place, Otterden, Faversham, Kent.
About 6 of the 8 houses were sold as "going concerns", so that most of the 180 residents could remain in their apartments. Out of the original 9 houses, 7 are still in use as retirement or nursing homes, with Aynhoe converted back into a single home in 200?.
.
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
with charitable status) that converted country houses into retirement flats and maintained them from 1955 until its liquidation in 2004.
History
The Country Houses Association Ltd was an Industrial and Provident Society formed in 1955 by Rear Admiral Greathed, originally called the Mutual Households Association (MHA). Its stated aim was to preserve historic buildings for the benefit of the nation. During its lifetime, the Association acquired nine large country houses, and restored and preserved these until their sale in 2002-4. During their ownership by the Association, all the houses were converted into retirement apartments, with communal dining and drawing rooms, with the rental income helping to pay for the house's extensive renovations and repairs (residents also paid deposits of up to £140,000). The houses were open to members of the Association and also members of the public. Sir John AdyeJohn Adye
Sir John Anthony Adye KCMG is a former Director of the British signals intelligence agency, GCHQ, a post he held from 1989 to 1996.-Career:...
was the chair of the CHA from 1996 until 2002.
The Association finally went into liquidation in December 2003 with the liquidators being Deloitte & Touche. The Association stated it went into liquidation because of falling demand for its apartments, the increasing age-profile of residents and the increased regulation surrounding the business. The trustees were told they could not use charity funds to support loss-making businesses with no future prospects.
At the time of its liquidation in 2003 the CHA owned 8 houses:
- Albury ParkAlbury ParkAlbury Park is a country park and Grade II* listed historic country house in Surrey, England. It covers over ; within this area is the old village of Albury, which consists of three or four houses and a church. The River Tillingbourne runs through the grounds.-Pre-1890:The Saxon Old St Peter and...
, Albury, Surrey - purchased in 1969, sold in 2004 for £4.5m to Jennifer & Nigel Whalley (slowly being converted and sold as apartments when residents leave). - Aynhoe ParkAynhoe ParkAynhoe Park, is a Grade I listed 17th-century country house rebuilt after the English Civil War on the southern edge of the stone-built village of Aynho near Banbury, Oxfordshire. It overlooks the Cherwell valley that divides Northamptonshire from Oxfordshire. The house represents four...
, Aynhoe, Northamptonshire - purchased in 1959 (CHA's 2nd house), sold in 2004 to James Perkins (previously restored Dowdeswell Court in Gloucestershire) and now a single private home. - Danny HouseDanny HouseDanny is an impressive Grade I listed Elizabethan red brick Mansion near Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex, England. It lies at the northern foot of Wolstonbury Hill and one of the finest stately houses in Sussex, with 56 bedrooms and 28 apartments. The present house was built 1593-95 by George...
, Hassocks, West Sussex - purchased in 1956 (CHA's 1st house), sold in 2004 for £3m to Rachael & Richard Burrows, who maintained it as serviced apartments for retired people and as a family business. - Flete HouseFlete HouseFlete House is a Grade I listed country house at Holbeton, in the South Hams district of Devon, England.Flete was a Saxon estate, the manor being held by the Damarell family from the reign of William I until the time of Edward III....
, Holbeton, Devon - leased/purchased in 1961, sold in April 2004 to Raven Audley Court (Audley Retirement). - Gosfield HallGosfield HallGosfield Hall near Braintree in Essex, England was built in 1545 by Sir John Wentworth, a member of Cardinal Wolsey’s household, and hosted Royal visits by Queen Elizabeth I and her grand retinue throughout the middle of the 16th century....
, Braintree, Essex - purchased in December 1959 (CHA's 4th house), sold in early 2004 to investors and then again in December 2004 to Country House Weddings Ltd. - Great Maytham HallGreat Maytham HallGreat Maytham Hall, near Rolvenden, Kent, England, is a Grade II* listed country house. The gardens are famous for providing the inspiration for The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.-The house:...
, Rolvenden, Kent - purchased in 1965, sold in 2004 to Sunley Heritage, now private apartments. - PythousePythousePythouse, sometimes spelt Pyt House and pronounced pit-house, is a country house near Tisbury in Wiltshire, in the west of England....
, Tisbury, Wiltshire - purchased in about 1959, sold in 2004 for £7m and remains a residential home. - Swallowfield ParkSwallowfield ParkSwallowfield Park is a Grade II* listed stately home and estate in the English county of Berkshire. The house is situated near the village of Swallowfield, some 4 miles south of the town of Reading.-The House :...
, Swallowfield, Berkshire - purchased about 1975, sold in 2004 to Sunley Heritage, now private apartments.
A 9th house, Greathed Manor near Dormansland in Surrey (originally called Ford Manor when designed by Robert Kerr
Robert Kerr (architect)
Robert Kerr was an architect and writer.He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and trained as an architect there. In 1844, he moved to London and then spent a year in New York. Kerr returned to London and was one of the founders of the Architectural Association in 1847, becoming its first President...
, but changed in 1960 to Greathed Manor by the CHA in memory of its founder) had its long lease (commencing in 1959 from the Nichols family, descendants of the Spender-Clay family) sold in about 2002, at the beginning of the Association's financial troubles. In 2008 it was adapted into a nursing home. There was apparently also a 10th house run by the CHA. This may have been Otterden Place, Otterden, Faversham, Kent.
About 6 of the 8 houses were sold as "going concerns", so that most of the 180 residents could remain in their apartments. Out of the original 9 houses, 7 are still in use as retirement or nursing homes, with Aynhoe converted back into a single home in 200?.
Country Houses Foundation
Following the sale of all the houses and the restructuring of the CHA in 2004, the Country Houses Foundation (CHF) was set up in 2005, and endowed with the surplus funds from the sale of the properties, which came to approximately £15 million. It is a charitable grant-giving foundation which supports the preservation of historic houses and gardens, with its Chairman currently being Norman HudsonNorman Hudson
Norman Hudson OBE is an English publisher, founder of annual guidebook, and advisor to owners of historic houses on management, development of tourism and location filming.- Career :...
.