Earlier Houses: The current house incorporates parts of an earlier house on the site.

Built / Designed For: Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington.

House & Family History: Built after the Commonwealth for Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington and Charles II's lord chamberlain (and the "A" in the famous Cabal), Euston Hall was one of the great Restoration houses. The diarist John Evelyn stayed at Euston in October 1671 and described it as "a very noble pile, consisting of four pavilions after the French beside a body of a large house… formed of additions to an old house…with a vase expense made…very magnificent and commodious." The House passed to the dukes of Grafton when Isabella, only daughter and heiress of Lord Arlington, married Henry FitzRoy, an illegitimate son of Charles II by Barbara Villiers; FitzRoy was created 1st Duke of Grafton in 1675. In the mid-18th century Matthew Brettingham was engaged to remodel the House in the Palladian style for Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton (the town of Grafton, Massachusetts, is named after him), leaving us with the red brick house with stone dressings and balustraded stone parapets that is seen today. Brettingham also converted the original domes to pyramids, leaving them remarkably similar to those at Holkham Hall. Euston is illustrated and accurately described as it appeared after this work was completed in the 1819 book "Excursions through Suffolk." Two of Brettingham's four pavilions survive today at the entrance side of House (the other two were lost when the south and west wings were demolished in 1951). The north range contains a late 17th century dog-leg stair with bulbous balusters and hanging finials, a rare survival from Arlington House, the Earl of Arlington's grand London house that stood on the site of Buckingham Palace.

Collections: Euston contains a noted collection of paintings of the court of Charles II, including works by Stubbs, Van Dyck, Lely, and Kneller.

Comments: Matthew Brettingham's garden building is considered one of the most significant in England.

Garden & Outbuildings: Matthew Brettingham designed garden buildings. The gardener's house is from the 17th century. William Kent landscaped the Pleasure Grounds with John Evelyn and designed the archway temple in 1746. The Mill is from the 18th century. Fragments of two gatepiers survive.

Chapel & Church: The church, in the Wren style, dates from the 17th century.

John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. I, p. 226, 1852.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. IV, 1821.

Country Life: CXXI, 58, 102, 148, 1957.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Not Listed

Current Seat / Home of: Henry Oliver Charles FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton.

Past Seat / Home of: Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, 17th century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01842-766-366

Fax: 01842-766-764

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.eustonhall.co.uk

Historic Houses Member: Yes