Hazelbury Manor
Coordinates: 51°24′50″N 2°14′17″W / 51.413972°N 2.238089°W
Hazelbury Manor is a Grade I listed manor house, parts of which date back to the 14th century, in the hamlet of Hazelbury in Wiltshire, England.
Manor
The manor contains a great hall with minstrel's gallery, dining room, drawing room, kitchens, a master bedroom and seven further bedrooms. The facilities include an integral office, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and other assorted buildings.
The manor was purchased by the Speke family in the early 17th century and passed to the Northey family in the early 18th century. In the early 20th century George Kidston bought it and restored its 16th century structure with the help of the architect Harold Brakspear, at the same time enlarging the house considerably in an architecturally sensitive fashion. George Kidston also wrote a book on its history. The manor is not open to the public.
Gardens
The manor is set in 186 acres (0.75 km2) of land, 8 of which are landscaped gardens. The gardens are Edwardian-style and were laid out by George Kidston in the 1920s. They contain topiary, and colourful herbaceous borders. Later (1980s) additions include a circle of menhirs and a laburnum walk.
Plays
Plays are sometimes held on the grounds in summer. The plays are part of Shakespeare Live, an annual outdoor production in the region that is for charity.
References
- http://www.gardenhistory.org.uk/ukpg/place.asp?PlaceID=HAZELBUR
- http://www.information-britain.co.uk/showPlace.cfm?Place_ID=7857
- http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsgardenfinder/GardenFinder3.asp?ID=1543
- http://www.turnerwright.co.uk/research.htm
- http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom2.php?id=24
- http://www.shakespearelive.com
Further reading
- A History of the Manor of Hazelbury by George Kidston, Methuen, 1936.