Tone Dale House
Encyclopedia
Tone Dale House is an historic Grade II listed country house located in Wellington
, Somerset
, England
. Wellington lies 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Taunton
in the vale of Taunton Deane, one mile from the Devon
border. Tone Dale House, also known as House of Fox, offers picturesque views of Somerset with the Quantock hills
to the North, and Blackdown Hills
to the south, upon which sits the Wellington monument
, built in commemoration of the Duke of Wellington
.
In 1786, Thomas Fox the son of Francis Fox became a partner in the family’s long established textile manufacturing business in Wellington, Somerset. "It was the practice...for many well-to-do manufacturers and merchants to build fine houses in the country, becoming country gentlemen themselves, their ladies priding themselves on their idleness." Thomas Fox and his far from idle wife Sarah, however, built their Palladian Villa house in 1797 beside their woollen mill, now virtually hidden from the house.
Thomas Fox also started the private bank of Fox, Fowler and Company
that was the last competitor to the Bank of England until it's amalgamation to Lloyds Bank
in 1927. Tone Dale House features in original £5 notes dated 1893.
.
"Tone Dale House is a long, low, well-proportioned house, yellow plastered building built in the style of a Palladian Villa. The house faces south; with windows looking out across the gardens to a distant view of the Blackdown Hills, the mill stream flowing slowly by, until it disappears into the shrubbery, where it cascades over the weir."
The garden which is mostly laid to lawn, includes an old tennis house, a two hundred year old Cork Oak
tree; all bordered by a ten foot sandstone wall and the mill stream.
Tone Dale House plays host for a number of parties and celebrations, some notable guests include.
Alexander Armstrong
and Ben Miller
, Jamie Theakston
, Darcy Bussell, Simon Woodroffe
, Serena Rees
, Paul Simonon
, Sam Roddick
, Sandi Thom
, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
and Cherie Lunghi
Wellington, Somerset
Wellington is a small industrial town in rural Somerset, England, situated south west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district, near the border with Devon, which runs along the Blackdown Hills to the south of the town...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, 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...
. Wellington lies 7 miles (11.3 km) west of Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
in the vale of Taunton Deane, one mile from the Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
border. Tone Dale House, also known as House of Fox, offers picturesque views of Somerset with the Quantock hills
Quantock Hills
The Quantock Hills is a range of hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. The Quantock Hills were England’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty being designated in 1956 and consists of large amounts of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and agricultural land.The hills run from...
to the North, and Blackdown Hills
Blackdown Hills
The Blackdown Hills are a range of hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England, which were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1991....
to the south, upon which sits the Wellington monument
Wellington Monument, Somerset
The Wellington Monument is a high triangular tower located on the highest point of the Blackdown Hills, south of Wellington, Somerset, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building....
, built in commemoration of the Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
.
In 1786, Thomas Fox the son of Francis Fox became a partner in the family’s long established textile manufacturing business in Wellington, Somerset. "It was the practice...for many well-to-do manufacturers and merchants to build fine houses in the country, becoming country gentlemen themselves, their ladies priding themselves on their idleness." Thomas Fox and his far from idle wife Sarah, however, built their Palladian Villa house in 1797 beside their woollen mill, now virtually hidden from the house.
Thomas Fox also started the private bank of Fox, Fowler and Company
Fox, Fowler and Company
Fox, Fowler, and Company was a British private bank, based in Wellington, Somerset. The company was founded in 1787 as a supplementary business to the main activities of the Fox family, sheep-herding and wool-making.-Banknote issue:...
that was the last competitor to the Bank of England until it's amalgamation to Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
in 1927. Tone Dale House features in original £5 notes dated 1893.
The Grounds
Tone Dale House is set in 4 acres (1.6 ha) of gardens on the Devon & Somerset borders, just 2 miles (3.2 km) rom junction 26 of the M5 motorwayM5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
.
"Tone Dale House is a long, low, well-proportioned house, yellow plastered building built in the style of a Palladian Villa. The house faces south; with windows looking out across the gardens to a distant view of the Blackdown Hills, the mill stream flowing slowly by, until it disappears into the shrubbery, where it cascades over the weir."
The garden which is mostly laid to lawn, includes an old tennis house, a two hundred year old Cork Oak
Cork Oak
Quercus suber, commonly called the Cork Oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.It grows to up to 20 m,...
tree; all bordered by a ten foot sandstone wall and the mill stream.
Present day
Today the 16 bedroom Tone Dale House is owned by the Big House Company and can be hired for celebrations, anniversaries, weddings, reunions or corporate events. This is to ensure the upkeep and well-being of the house and gardens, to preserve the family and historical aspects, while offering twenty first century hospitality.Tone Dale House plays host for a number of parties and celebrations, some notable guests include.
Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong (comedian)
Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong is a British comedian, actor and television presenter.-Early life and career:Armstrong was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, the youngest of three children, to Henry Angus Armstrong and his wife Emma Virginia Peronnet Thompson-McCausland, daughter of Lucius...
and Ben Miller
Ben Miller
Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
, Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston is an English television and radio presenter, producer and actor.-Education:...
, Darcy Bussell, Simon Woodroffe
Simon Woodroffe
Simon Woodroffe OBE is a British motivational speaker and entrepreneur. He started the sushi chain YO! Sushi in 1997, and has appeared as a 'Dragon' on the first UK series of Dragons' Den....
, Serena Rees
Serena Rees
Serena Rees is a British businesswoman best known for cofounding Agent Provocateur with her then husband Joseph Corré. She currently owns Cocomaya chocolatiers.-Biography:...
, Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
, Sam Roddick
Sam Roddick
Sam Roddick is the founder of Coco de Mer a British 'erotic emporium' dedicated to the celebration of sexual pleasure, empowerment, dignity and discovery. She is the daughter of Body Shop founder and activist Anita Roddick...
, Sandi Thom
Sandi Thom
Alexandria "Sandi" Thom is a Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She became widely known in 2006 after a series of webcasts and the success of the single "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker ".-1984–2004: Early life:Thom was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire...
, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a British celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer and "real food" campaigner, known for his back-to-basics philosophy...
and Cherie Lunghi
Cherie Lunghi
Cherie M. Lunghi is an English film, television and theatre actress. She is probably best known for her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film Excalibur, as football manageress Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and for starring in a series of adverts for Kenco coffee. She...