Hatch Court

Hatch Court
Location within Somerset
General information
Architectural style Palladian
Town or city Hatch Beauchamp
Country England
Coordinates 50°59′02″N 2°59′21″W / 50.9840°N 2.9893°WCoordinates: 50°59′02″N 2°59′21″W / 50.9840°N 2.9893°W
Completed c. 1755
Client John Collins
Design and construction
Architect Thomas Prowse

Hatch Court in Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset, England was built around 1755 and has been designated as a grade I listed building.[1] It was built of Bath Stone by Thomas Prowse for John Collins.

History

John Collines was a wool merchant who built the house in the 1820s to demonstrate his wealth. He employed Thomas Prowse a Member of Parliament who designed houses for his friends and had previously consulted on the development of Hagley Hall in Worcestershire,[2] and also designed the nearby Temple of Harmony.[3]

Architecture

The two-storey Bath stone building is in Palladian style with four square angle towers each of three-storeys.[4] The main entrance is via a loggia with five linked round-headed arches.[2][5] The interior includes a large hall and a staircase with stone treads and wrought iron balusters.[2]

Outbuildings and grounds

The gardens contain a walled vegetable garden.[6][7] During the 18th century there were extensive pleasure gardens including an artificial cave or grotto with a pool and fireplace.[8][9]

The stable block was built around 1820 after the original stable block designed by Prowse had been demolished.[10] At the same time a horse engine house was built as a horse mill to power farm machinery. It has since been used as a store, but some of the original machinery including the drive shaft is still in place.[11]

The gardens were restored by Dr Robin and Janie Odgers when they lived in the house between 1984 and 2000 when they sold it.[12]

Museum

The house now contains a small military museum commemorating the life and work of Brigadier Andrew Hamilton Gault, who was Member of Parliament for Taunton, and member of the Quebec Chamber of Commerce, as well as a decorated Boer War hero.[13] Hamilton Gault was the founder of the British Empire's last privately raised regiment, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.[14][15] Hamilton Gault is buried on his former estate.[16] His wife continued to live at Hatch Court until 1972.[12]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hatch Court.
  1. ↑ "Hatch Court". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Delderfield, Eric R. (1970). West Countrty Historic Houses and their families: Volume 2. Dorest, Wiltshire and North Somerset. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 71–75. ISBN 978-0715349106.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Hath (Beauchamp) Court (1001146)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp Village". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Park, Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Hatch Court". Hatch Beauchamp web site. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
  7. ↑ "Walls enclosing garden on north side of Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp Village". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Excavation (1998), Grotto, Hatch Court". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Excavation (1990), Grotto, Hatch Court, Hatch Beachamp". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Stables adjoining Hatch Court, Hatch Beauchamp Village". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Horse engine house, about 50m north of Hatch Court Farm, Hatch Beauchamp Village". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "History". Hatch Beauchamp Village. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Hatch Beauchamp and Hatch Court". Hatch Beauchamp. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "Hatch Court". Hatch Beauchamp. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  15. ↑ Leete-Hodge, Lornie (1985). Curiosities of Somerset. Bodmin: Bossiney Books. p. 73. ISBN 0-906456-98-3.
  16. ↑ "Andrew Hamilton Gault fonds". Archives. Society of Alberta. Retrieved 28 October 2014.