Lyveden New Bield - Near Oundle, Northamptonshire, UK - Preserved Architectural Remnants and Ruins on Waymarking.com

Wikipedia describes the location:

'Lyveden New Bield (sometimes called New Build) is an unfinished summer house in the parish of Aldwinkle St Peter in the county of Northamptonshire, England.

Construction

It was constructed for Sir Thomas Tresham, the fervent Roman Catholic of Rushton Hall, and is thought to have been designed by Robert Stickells. The exact date is unknown but can be estimated to circa 1604–05, the year of Tresham's death. The New Bield was on the estate of Tresham's second home Lyvedon Old Bield.

Just as at Tresham's smaller folly Rushton Triangular Lodge, his principal estate, the New Bield has a religious design full of symbolism. Designed on a plan reminiscent of a Greek cross, the facades have a strict symmetry. The building has two floors above a raised basement, with mullioned and transomed windows. Each floor had three rooms with a staircase in the south projection of the cross. The exterior of the building is decorated by friezes of a religious nature. The metopes contain the emblems and motifs found also at the triangular lodge, such as the "IHS" christogram.

Purpose

The house was obviously meant for occupation as not only does it have a great hall and parlour on the first floor and kitchen and buttery in the basement, but also a bedroom on the upper floor. The building was probably never intended for full time occupation. Too close to the main house for use as a hunting lodge, it may have been intended for use as a "Secret House"—keeping a secret house was a custom of the 16th century. Often within a mile of the main house, the secret house was a place where the head of the household would retire for a few days with a minimum of servants, while the principal house was thoroughly cleaned, and bearing in mind the sanitation of the time, fumigated. Similar examples of "secret houses" exist at Leconfield and Warkworth where their use for this purpose has been well documented.

Lyveden Old Bield

Lyveden Old Bield, the once grand principal house of the estate, had belonged to the Tresham family from c.1450. Today, little remains and what does was probably built by Thomas Tresham's grandson Lewis. The gatehouse has been removed to Fermyn Woods Hall, and the staircase has been transported to America. One wing remains with mullioned windows.

The Tresham Family and The Gunpowder Plot

Sir Thomas Tresham died in 1605 following decades of religious persecution, his once vast wealth having been severely depleted. His son Francis Tresham inherited the estate, but within the same year, along with his cousins Catesby and Wintour, became involved in the Gunpowder Plot. Thus, within a year the estate had a third owner, Francis's son Lewis Tresham. The estate was managed by Lewis's mother until her death in 1615.

After this Lewis Tresham, a spendthrift, lost the remaining family wealth. The estate was eventually sold following the death of his son in 1643.

National Trust

Lyveden New Bield was never completed nor used. It remains exactly as it was when the builders left following Sir Thomas Tresham's death. Evidence of the planned terraces and water garden remain.

Today, it is in the care of the National Trust. In recent times it has been subjected to frequent flooding to a depth of 300 mm.'

Type: Remnant Fee: 4.50 Hours: Opening arrangements 1 Feb–29 Nov 09 11–4 Sat and Sun 18 Mar–31 Oct 09 10:30–5 Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat and Sun 1 Jul–30 Aug 09 10:30–5 Everyday Open BH Mons. Good Fri: 10:30–5. Last admission 30mins before closing (Standard Admission prices in brackets): £4.50 (£4), child free. Groups (£4.50) Related URL: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Original photographs showing additional views of the Ruin/Remnant or even just its current condition are encouraged. Please describe your visit, especially if no additional photos are available. Did you like the Ruin or Remnant? What prompted you to see the Ruin or Remnant?

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.