Want a Bit More Room?
William Davenport 5th did in the 1590s. The one storey Hall he’d inherited was 200 years old by then and in need of modernisation. So he went for an extension – on a grand scale. First of all came a second floor featuring the Withdrawing Room with its famous plaster ceiling and Elizabeth 1st’s Coat of Arms over the fireplace.
Going Up
But it wasn’t enough. The family needed somewhere warm and dry to take their daily walks in winter. So up went the long gallery making a third floor. Up went the chimneys too, as you can see.
Henry the Carpenter
One of William 5th’s farming tenants at that time was Henry Danyell. As well as keeping a farm, he was also a carpenter and died quite a wealthy one at that. Perhaps his extra income was earned making William’s ideal home come true.
A Heavy Weight
The long gallery was dismantled around 1810 by William Davenport X. By then, the weight of it was threatening to distort the timber frames of the first floor below it.
Have a Good Look
In 1890, Charles Nevill took over and freshened things up inside considerably but only made relatively small changes to the east front. Can you spot them?
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