Tone Dale House is an historic Grade II listed country house located in Wellington, Somerset, England. Wellington lies 7 miles (11 km) west of Taunton in the vale of Taunton Deane, one mile from the Devon border. Tone Dale House, also known as House of Fox, offers picturesque views of Somerset with the Quantock hills to the North, and Blackdown Hills to the south, upon which sits the Wellington monument, built in commemoration of the Duke of Wellington.
In 1786, Thomas Fox the son of Francis Fox became a partner in the family’s long established textile manufacturing business in Wellington, Somerset. "It was the practice...for many well-to-do manufacturers and merchants to build fine houses in the country, becoming country gentlemen themselves, their ladies priding themselves on their idleness."[1] Thomas Fox and his far from idle wife Sarah, however, built their Palladian Villa house in 1797 beside their woollen mill, now virtually hidden from the house.
Thomas Fox also started the private bank of Fox, Fowler and Company that was the last competitor to the Bank of England until its amalgamation to Lloyds Bank in 1927. Tone Dale House features in original £5 notes dated 1893.
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Tone Dale House is set in 4 acres (1.6 ha) of gardens on the Devon & Somerset borders, just 2 miles (3.2 km) rom junction 26 of the M5 motorway . "Tone Dale House is a long, low, well-proportioned house, yellow plastered building built in the style of a Palladian Villa. The house faces south; with windows looking out across the gardens to a distant view of the Blackdown Hills, the mill stream flowing slowly by, until it disappears into the shrubbery, where it cascades over the weir."[1] The garden which is mostly laid to lawn, includes an old tennis house, a two hundred year old Cork Oak tree; all bordered by a ten foot sandstone wall and the mill stream.
Today the 16 bedroom Tone Dale House is owned by the Big House Company and can be hired for celebrations, anniversaries, weddings, reunions or corporate events. This is to ensure the upkeep and well-being of the house and gardens, to preserve the family and historical aspects, while offering twenty first century hospitality.
Tone Dale House plays host for a number of parties and celebrations, some notable guests include.
Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller, Jamie Theakston, Darcy Bussell, Simon Woodroffe, Serena Rees, Paul Simonon, Sam Roddick, Sandi Thom, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Cherie Lunghi