Flitwick Manor
Encyclopedia
Flitwick Manor is a Georgian country house in the south of Flitwick
, Bedfordshire
, England
. It is located on Church Road off the A5120 road
. It is currently run as a hotel by the hotelier firm Menzies
.
The manor was built for John Thomas Brooks in 1816 following his marriage to Mary. It remained in the family, including the Lyall family descendants until 1934 when there were no heirs. It stayed in private hands until 1984 when Somerset Moore converted it to a restaurant. This was sold in 1990 and it became a Menzies hotel. Today it retains many old antiques and old furnishings.
When the manor was undergoing renovation, Jim Sparkes, a builder, discovered a wooden door beneath the roof tiles, opening into a hidden secret room. Inside the room was a bricked up doorway which had led into the upper floor of the manor. The room was believed to have been the quarters of an old white-haired housekeeper who was once dismissed after the family believed she was responsible for the death of one of the children by poisoning him. Flitwick Manor is reported to be haunted and apparitions of this housekeeper have been reported.A hotel manager has reported being confronted by her in a corridor and the staff are reportedly very familiar with her presence and know her favourite chair, as she often leaves an impression on the cushion. It is also believed to be the wife of Mr Brooks, whose daughter (Mary Ann) died of cancer early on in her life. This drove the couple apart, and Mrs Brooks left Flitwick Manor because of it.
Flitwick
Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
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...
. It is located on Church Road off the A5120 road
A5120 road
The A5120 is an A-class road in Bedfordshire, linking the conjoined towns of Ampthill and Flitwick to Dunstable and, via the M1 motorway, Luton and London. It connects with the M1 at junction 12, being the sole road at this junction, in close proximity to the Toddington services. On its route from...
. It is currently run as a hotel by the hotelier firm Menzies
Menzies
Menzies is a Scottish surname probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman name Mesnières.The name is historically pronounced , since the was a surrogate for the letter . Today it is often given its spelling pronunciation...
.
The manor was built for John Thomas Brooks in 1816 following his marriage to Mary. It remained in the family, including the Lyall family descendants until 1934 when there were no heirs. It stayed in private hands until 1984 when Somerset Moore converted it to a restaurant. This was sold in 1990 and it became a Menzies hotel. Today it retains many old antiques and old furnishings.
When the manor was undergoing renovation, Jim Sparkes, a builder, discovered a wooden door beneath the roof tiles, opening into a hidden secret room. Inside the room was a bricked up doorway which had led into the upper floor of the manor. The room was believed to have been the quarters of an old white-haired housekeeper who was once dismissed after the family believed she was responsible for the death of one of the children by poisoning him. Flitwick Manor is reported to be haunted and apparitions of this housekeeper have been reported.A hotel manager has reported being confronted by her in a corridor and the staff are reportedly very familiar with her presence and know her favourite chair, as she often leaves an impression on the cushion. It is also believed to be the wife of Mr Brooks, whose daughter (Mary Ann) died of cancer early on in her life. This drove the couple apart, and Mrs Brooks left Flitwick Manor because of it.