Lamport Hall - Lamport, Northamptonshire, UK - Pre-Victorian Historic Homes on Waymarking.com

As a Grade I Listed Building Lamport Hall was in the same family for many years; from 1560 to 1976 it belonged to the Isham family. Now it is used for weddings and conferences and belongs to a charitable organisation who care for the building today. The official website describes the architecture and history:

'THE HISTORY OF LAMPORT

Architecturally, Lamport Hall is of Grade I importance. During the time of the Commonwealth, the Hall was developed from a Tudor Manor and is now best known for its classical frontage. This was started by John Webb in 1655 and completed in the eighteenth century, to the design of Francis Smith of Warwick.

The Hall contains a wealth of outstanding furniture, books and paintings collected by the Isham family. Most were bought during the third Baronet’s Grand Tour of Europe, in the 1670s. They include portraits by Van Dyck, Kneller, Lely and others.

The fine rooms include:
The High Room of 1655, with a magnificent plasterwork ceiling, by William Smith.
The 18th Century Library, with ancient tomes from the 16th Century.
The early 19th Century Cabinet Room, containing rare Neopolitan cabinets with mythological paintings on glass.

The first floor has undergone lengthy restoration, allowing further paintings and furniture to be displayed. This also houses a photographic record of Sir Gyles Isham, a Hollywood actor, who initiated the restoration.

The Isham family lived at Lamport for over 400 years, until Sir Gyles Isham, the 12th Baronet, died in 1976. In his will he bequeathed the Hall, with its contents and Estate, to the Trust.
The Lamport Hall Trust is a charitable organisation, established for the public benefit and controlled by a governing body of Trustees.

GARDENS

The Hall is set in tranquil gardens, enclosed by a spacious park. Of the gardens originally laid out in 1655, by Gilbert Clarke, only the surrounding banks and large wrought iron gates still remain.
There are several sycamores and cedars, which were planted in the 1820s by Mary Isham, a redoubtable Irish Lady, responsible for the planting in the surrounding parkland.

Sir Charles Isham, the son of Mary Isham, inherited his mother’s love of gardening. He is responsible for the present day appearance with a small Italian garden and the remarkable rockery. This is the earliest alpine garden in England, rising like a ruined castle and 24 feet tall. Sir Charles peopled it with miniature figures, the world’s first garden gnomes. The only remaining original is on view in the Hall.

Today the gardens include extensive herbaceous borders and shrubbery walks containing some rare and interesting plants. '

Nikolaus Pevsner has some further information in 'The Buildings of England Northamptonshire'. The house is an Elizabethan design from John Webb. The Ishams also had another house at Pytchley. The house is five bays wide and two storeys high making it officially a villa, like the Queen's House in Greenwich. (This was a house from Inigo Jones who was Webb's master and relative by marriage).

Lamport Hall was built in pure Italism with an ashlar-rusticated front, raised quoins and a top balustrade. The signs for the Ishams are noteworthy throughout with their family symbol being thick, compact fruit, leaf garlands and two swans.

The house is open to the public from Easter Sunday to 12 October.

Earliest Recorded Date of Construction: 01/01/1560 Additional Dates of Construction: North wing added in 1732 South wing added in 1741 to widen the west facade to thirteen bays and altering the character completely - this was designed by Smiths of Warwick who did keep to the original design as closely as possible Inside the Entrance Hall was transformed into the Music Hall on 1738 with stucco work from John Woolston and a staircase from the Smiths In 1819 the fireplace and giant pillasters were remodelled by Henry Hakewill who also built a new neo-Tudor north front During 1842 a mildly Jacobean lower part of the south front was added by Goddard of Leicester Burn wanted to change the front to a total Jacobean design but the owner at the time prevented this saving the house from enormous change during the Victorian times. He did add a massive Tuscan porch in 1861-2 Stable quadrangle added in 1907 1972 saw large restoration work completed Architectural Period/Style: Elizabethan Architect (if known): John Webb Landscape Designer (if known): Sir Charles Isham built the superb rockery in 1847 Type of Building e.g. Country House, Stately Home, Manor: Stately Home Interesting Historical Facts or Connections: The gates on the main Northampton Road are by Hakewill in 1824 Listed Building Status (if applicable): Grade I Listed Building Main Material of Construction: Stone Private/Public Access: Public Admission Fee (if applicable): 6.00 (listed in local currency) Opening Hours (if applicable): From: 2:15 PM To: 4:00 PM Related Website: [Web Link] Rating:

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