Highgate House
Encyclopedia
Highgate House was an important Northamptonshire
coaching inn
and Royal Mail
posting station at the village of Creaton
, on the Northampton
to Leicester
road, dating from 1663. The building, much expanded and adapted, is now used as a country house hotel and conference venue, but retains its original appearance and character.
, England, approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) north west of Northampton
on the A5199 road
and 5 miles (8 km) south of the start of the A14 road, which runs from the Catthorpe Interchange
with the M1
and M6
motorways, via Cambridge
, to Felixstowe
.
The current house is built on the site of an earlier inn with the present buildings dating from 1663. When the main Welford
road, now the A5199
became a turnpike
in 1721 the inn rose in importance. Successive members of the Bosworth
family were licensees until 1837 when the establishment of the railways took over Royal Mail
distribution around the country more effectively.
At that time the most famous inhabitant was the Revd, and fiery Welshman, Thomas Jones, who came to Creaton in 1785. Unable to find lodgings in the village he resided at the inn in defiance of both fellow clergy
and also Canon Law
. However, the landlady supported him saying that his presence had a good effect on the conduct of the other customers, and his Bishop
turned a blind eye for 51 years. In contrast to other more relaxed clergy he filled the church with his preaching and set up the first Sunday School
in the county. Distressed by local poverty he also became Rector
of Spratton
, a neighbouring village to the south. There he organised a clothing and sick club and employed a woman to teach sewing, all based on his principle of helping the poor to help themselves. With income from the books he wrote, he built six Almshouses in Creaton village.
The house then passed into the Langham family estate at Cottesbrooke Hall
in the neibouring village of Cottesbrooke
about 1 mile north, being later bought by its tenant
Lt Colonel Charles Eyre-Coote when the estate was sold in 1911. The house was used as a base for hunting
with the Pytchley Hunt
based nearby. At this time a large amount of money was spent on the house with the addition of a floor and the Baronial Hall, which is visible in the south elevation behind the 3-storey leaded bay window. The Elizabethan linen-fold wooden panelling in the room was architectural salvage.
The building later became a private house and was eventually sold by the late Mrs Coote, in a somewhat dilapidated state, to the Chudley family in the 1960s. It has since been restored and sympathetically expanded and converted into its current form.
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
and Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
posting station at the village of Creaton
Creaton
Creaton is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the shire county of Northamptonshire, England.-Location:The village is north west of the town of Northampton and south east of the city of Leicester, along the A5199, formerly the A50, trunk road...
, on the Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
to Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
road, dating from 1663. The building, much expanded and adapted, is now used as a country house hotel and conference venue, but retains its original appearance and character.
Location
The house is located south of the village of Creaton, NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England, approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) north west of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
on the A5199 road
A5199 road
The A5199 road is the direct road from Leicester to Northampton in England. It was formerly part of the A50 trunk road that ran from Bedfordshire to Lancashire...
and 5 miles (8 km) south of the start of the A14 road, which runs from the Catthorpe Interchange
Catthorpe Interchange
The Catthorpe Interchange is a major intersection at the southern end of the M6, the western end of the A14 and Junction 19 of the M1 near the village of Catthorpe in Leicestershire, England...
with the M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
and M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
motorways, via Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, to Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
.
History
Welford, Northamptonshire
Welford is a village and civil parish in England. It is located on the River Avon border between the counties of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,016 people....
road, now the A5199
A5199 road
The A5199 road is the direct road from Leicester to Northampton in England. It was formerly part of the A50 trunk road that ran from Bedfordshire to Lancashire...
became a turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
in 1721 the inn rose in importance. Successive members of the Bosworth
Bosworth
Bosworth may refer to:*The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field, an important battle during the Wars of the Roses in 15th century England*Bosworth, a board game*Baron Bosworth, former title for the Duke of Berwick- Places :Places in Leicestershire, UK...
family were licensees until 1837 when the establishment of the railways took over Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
distribution around the country more effectively.
At that time the most famous inhabitant was the Revd, and fiery Welshman, Thomas Jones, who came to Creaton in 1785. Unable to find lodgings in the village he resided at the inn in defiance of both fellow clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and also Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. However, the landlady supported him saying that his presence had a good effect on the conduct of the other customers, and his Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
turned a blind eye for 51 years. In contrast to other more relaxed clergy he filled the church with his preaching and set up the first Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
in the county. Distressed by local poverty he also became Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Spratton
Spratton
Spratton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire. The local government authority is Daventry District Council. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,099 people. Spratton is 7.1 miles north of Northampton, 6.5 miles from Long Buckby and 11.4...
, a neighbouring village to the south. There he organised a clothing and sick club and employed a woman to teach sewing, all based on his principle of helping the poor to help themselves. With income from the books he wrote, he built six Almshouses in Creaton village.
The house then passed into the Langham family estate at Cottesbrooke Hall
Cottesbrooke Hall
Cottesbrooke Hall and the Cottesbrooke estate in Northamptonshire, England is reputed to be the inspiration for Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, published 1814.-Location:...
in the neibouring village of Cottesbrooke
Cottesbrooke
Cottesbrooke is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 144 people.-Location:...
about 1 mile north, being later bought by its tenant
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
Lt Colonel Charles Eyre-Coote when the estate was sold in 1911. The house was used as a base for hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
with the Pytchley Hunt
Pytchley Hunt
The Pytchley Hunt is a fox hunting organisation formerly based near the Northamptonshire village of Pytchley, but since 1966 has had kennels close to Brixworth. The Pytchley country used to include areas of the Rockingham Forest but was split to form the Woodland Pytchley Hunt...
based nearby. At this time a large amount of money was spent on the house with the addition of a floor and the Baronial Hall, which is visible in the south elevation behind the 3-storey leaded bay window. The Elizabethan linen-fold wooden panelling in the room was architectural salvage.
The building later became a private house and was eventually sold by the late Mrs Coote, in a somewhat dilapidated state, to the Chudley family in the 1960s. It has since been restored and sympathetically expanded and converted into its current form.