Moreton Hall

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Moreton Hall is a Grade Two listed Georgian styled Edwardian house, built in the early 1900s and located in Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire.

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[edit] History

In the early 1900's, Eton educated American Charles Tuller Garland,[1] son of the co-founder of the New York based National City Bank, decided to build a house in South Warwickshire countryside, with views over the River Avon valley. Designed by the fashionable society architect and decorator William Henry Romaine Walker, it was inspired by Wilton House near Salisbury, and given a Paladin style. Built in 1906/7, designed for lavish entertaining, the Hall has sumptuous plasterwork, particularly in the barrel-vault-ed great hall, library and dining room.[2] Romaine-Walker also landscaped the grounds, with a Wellingtonia-lined drive leading to the hall, its manicured blue garden, polo school and other equestrian facilities.[3]

Mr. Gilbert Player bought Moreton Hall and the associated Morton Farm from 1913.[4]

[edit] Moreton Morrell Centre

After the Second World War, the grounds of Moreton Morrell were used to accommodate a farm-training institute by the Warwickshire Agricultural Committee, later absorbed as part of Warwickshire College. Now known as Moreton Morrell Centre, it enjoys a reputation as one of the country's premier centres for agricultural, horticultural and equine training. The campus includes stabling for more than 100 horses and an equine demonstration area, and there is a 345-hectare farm with a dairy herd, pedigree sheep flock and pedigree beef herd. The Hall is accessible to the public for meals in the restaurant, bookings for weddings and commercial exhibitions and presentations.[5]

On 19th March, 2008 a fire broke out at 16:30PM in the roof of Moreton Hall, after students at the agricultural college occupying the house had left for the weekend. 80 firefighters tackled the blaze with 15 appliances from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service were sent to help to extinguish the flames, which could be seen three miles away as they leapt into the sky.[6] It is presently estimated that over £6million worth of damage has been caused.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Charles Tuller Garland. The Peerage. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  2. ^ Marcus Binney, Architecture Correspondent (March 22, 2008). Moreton Hall devastated by fire. The Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  3. ^ Morton Hall website - History. MortonHall.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  4. ^ A History of the County of Worcester: volume 3. british-history.ac.uk (1913). Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  5. ^ Warwickshire's best kept secret!. Coventry Telegraph (May 22, 2003). Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  6. ^ Warwickshire College gutted by huge fire. Coventry Telegraph (March 22, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
  7. ^ Major fire causes £6m damage to Georgian-style mansion as 80 firefighters battle in vain to quench blaze. Daily Mail (March 22, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-20.

[edit] External links


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