Great Harrowden

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Great Harrowden is a village in Northamptonshire, near the town of Wellingborough - the population is approximately 70. The village sits astride the busy A509 running between Kettering and Wellingborough - although a bypass is due to be built shortly. The village forms part of the Orlingbury hundred.

Location: 52° 19' 42.12" N - 0° 42' 37.8" W

1 Church
2 Great Harrowden Hall
3 External link
4 Sources

[edit] Church

The Church (All Saints) which dates back to the Norman times is famous for its medieval Doom; at Great Harrowden, the Doom sits very high up - at clerestory level - The work here is not sophisticated but it is considered to be one of the best and most complete Dooms remaining in England.

The Church is manily made of Ironstone apart from the tower, which is Ashlar. The tower was rebuilt in 1822 ; there was formerly a spire, but this collapsed in the 18th Century.

The church contains some 17th century plate (Cup:1635; Paten:1675) and a Brass to William Harrowden.

[edit] Great Harrowden Hall

Victoria Kaiulani

Watson Wentworth built the Hall between 1716 and 1719 - his son Thomas Wentworth (d.1750) who had become the 6th Lord Rockingham, was later made up to be the Marquess of Rockingham in 1746. The Hall is now Grade 11* (Ref GD1355) and still contains some early formal gardens and a landscape park of about 80 acres which lie to north and east of hall - these are now a golf course owned and run by Wellingborough Golf Club.

Kings Henry VIII and James I are both known to have visited the hall. There are formal gardens which are surrounded by brick walls and fine iron gates are notable features. The Hall has a surprisingly unaltered contemporary garden which contain a number of garden features including several statues by the Dutch sculptor Van Nost, of which one has recently been repaired.

The grounds also contain a chapel built by Lord Vaux in 1905 - being a copy of the school at Higham Ferrers and three groups of lead statuary.

The house was also later owned by the Harrowden and Vaux families.
The Hawaiian Princess, Victoria Kaiulani was educated at Great Harrowden Hall in the 1890s