Hamstead Marshall Manor House (Hampstead Marshall)

Earlier Houses: Castle mounds in the park may indicate evidence of a much earlier dwelling.

Built / Designed For: 1st Earl of Craven

House & Family History: Hamstead Marshall Manor House was built for the 1st Earl of Craven and was supposedly modeled on Heidelberg Castle to please Elizabeth of Bohemia (the Winter Queen, sister of Charles I), with whom Lord Craven was in love. The three-story house was 11 by 11 bays, with dormers, a hipped roof, and three belvedere cupolas. Hamstead Marshall burned in 1718; all that remains today are gatepiers and the orangery. The Hamstead Marshall Estate of 1,336 acres was sold after the death of 7th Earl of Craven in 1984 (the earl was 26 years old at the time of his death).

House Replaced By: Post 1984 a modern house was built in the walled garden.
Garden & Outbuildings: The Grade II* orangery and Grade I-listed gatepiers are extant. There are three large mounds in the park that may be castle mounds, rather than barrows.
Architect: Balthazar Gerbier

Date of Birth: 1592
Date of Death: 1663
Nationality: Dutch
Notes: Gerbier was an Anglo-Dutch diplomat, courtier, architect, art advisor, and miniaturist.

Date: Circa 1660
Designed: Original design for House for 1st Earl of Craven

View all houses

Architect: William Winde (Wynne)

Date of Birth: Circa 1642
Date of Death: 1722
Nationality: English
Notes: Winde was an architect-soldier who was the son of a Royalist who had fled to the Low Countries after the Civil War. The young Winde pursued a parallel career as a military engineer and a country house architect, the latter the result of the patronage of his godfather, the 1st Earl of Craven, for whom he designed at least one house (Hampstead Marshall), and possibly more. Winde was a contemporary of Christopher Wren and a fellow member of the Royal Society and could perform virtually any task associated with house-building, including landscaping, acting as supervisor of works, designer, and procurer of artwork for his clients' houses. Howard Colvin considered Winde one of the most important country house architects of the late 17th century.

Date: Post 1660
Designed: After death of Gerbier, Winde took over, designing for his godfather, the 1st Earl of Craven.

View all houses
Country Life: XXXIII, 454, 1913.
Title: Buildings of England: Berkshire, The
Author: Pevsner, Nikolaus
Year Published: 1966
Reference: pg. 152
Publisher: London: Penguin Books
ISBN: NA
Book Type: Hardback

Title: Belton House Guidebook - 1992
Author: Tinniswood, Adrian
Year Published: 1992
Reference: pg. 8
Publisher: London: The National Trust
ISBN: 0707801133
Book Type: Softback

Title: Disintegration of a Heritage: Country Houses and their Collections, 1979-1992, The
Author: Sayer, Michael
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Norfolk: Michael Russell (Publishing)
ISBN: 0859551970
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Demolished

Park Listed: Destroyed
Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT 17TH CENTURY HOUSE: William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven, 17th century; Craven family here 1626 until 1984.

Current Ownership Type: Demolished

Primary Current Ownership Use: Demolished
House Open to Public: No
Historic Houses Member: No

Hamstead Marshall Manor House (Hampstead Marshall)

House, Family & Collections History

Gardens, Outbuildings, Chapel & Church History

Architects

Historic Publications References

Bibliography / Reading List for this House

Listings for House & Park

Families Who’ve Lived Here / Current Ownership Type & Use

Access

VISIT AND HELP PRESERVE HISTORIC BRITISH HOUSES