| Summary : Northington Grange, a large neoclassical mansion in the form of a Greek Temple. It was constructed between 1670 and 1673 by the architect William Samwell on behalf of Sir Robert Henley (a successful lawyer) on the site of a medieval monastic grange. In 1761 his descendant Robert Henley employed Robert Adam to design a kitchen block and a bridge. He also laid out the park and dammed the river to create lakes. The house was re-fronted and remodelled by architect William Wilkins on behalf of the owner Henry Drummond in 1804-1809. It was then bought by Alexander Baring who commissioned Sir Robert Smirke to build a western extension in 1817-1818, which has since been demolished. The architect Charles Robert Cockerell built the neoclassical conservatory in 1823-5, which was converted into a picture gallery in circa 1880. Further alterations were made by John Cox in 1868-70. The Grange and its estate were sold in 1933, and the buildings were occupied by the Army during the Second World War. In 1964 John Baring bought back the estate for the Baring family to farm, and in 1969 planning permission to destroy the house was met with public outcry and the house passed into the guardianship of the state. In 1980-82 the shell and roof of the house were restored by the Department of the Environment. The house is built of brick with stone dressings and is encased in stucco with a slate roof. The house is now in the care of English Heritage and provides a venue for opera performances. The picture gallery has been converted and a new auditorium constructed. |
More information : (SU 56203616). THE GRANGE (GT). (1)
Prior to, and included in, Domesday Book, land at Northington was owned by HYDE ABBEY. In the 14th century the Abbey held their demesne lands, known later as 'THE GRANGE', and two reputed manors in Northington.
The Grange, as its name denotes, was kept under the immediate control of the Abbey. At the Dissolution it fell to the Crown and was at first leased and then in 1589-90 sold. Thereafter it occurs regularly to the present day.
The old mansion, the nucleus of the present house, was a 17th century square brick building, the work of Inigo Jones, without any external ornament but cased in stone, with a magnificent portico and other classic decorations.
Both house and park, according to DUTHY, (Authy.3.) owed their origin to the family of HENLEY, who resided there from before 1665 to 1787. (2)
The original house was probably built circa 1674 and its dimensions were 104 by 98 feet. The lower windows were blocked and terraces formed in the 18th century and in the early 19th century, the Corinthian portico and a storey to the south wing were added. (3)
This large mansion has only the southwest wing occupied, the remainder being empty and becoming dilapidated. The west end of the house is entirely modern; nothing of the original 17th century house can be seen but it is probably hidden by the 18/19th century facade. Sign-posts and name-plates confirm its name as THE GRANGE.
The 17th century house presumably occupied the same site as the monastic grange. It is not shown as a substantial grange on the O.S. Map of Monastic Britian (1955). (4)
No change. (5)
The Grange country house listed grade I. (6)
Landscape gardens and park listed grade II. (7)
Additional bibliography. (8-10)
A brief history and description. (11)
This seventeenth-century house was thought to have been built between AD 1665-73 before later being remodelled as one of the earliest Greek Revival country houses in Europe. Dendrochronology was commissioned in an attempt to refine the construction date still further, although many of the primary timbers proved to be inaccessible. Two timbers matched each other and have a likely combined felling date range of AD 1649- 81. A third minor timber had no sapwood, and was not dated. (12)
A review of the history and architectural details and components of The Grange. (13)
Conservatory listed building. 1823-5 by C R Cockerell, converted to picture gallery 1880. Brick, stuccoed with stone dressings, roof slated. 9 bay sides with giant pilasters, 5 bay ends with E Ionic portico 4 columns wide by 2 deep. Also restored by DoE 1980-2 and in its guardianship. (14)
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