Draft:Holton Hall

Holton Hall Circa 1800 1820 Was a large, 15 bedroom now-demolished manor house to the north of the village of Holton, near Halesworth, Suffolk, England.

Holton Hall near Halesworth

History

The original hall is estimated to have been built in the early 19th century by John Wilkinson, one of the main benefactors of Wrentham Hall. And already]y owned substantial lands in Holton. John Brewster Wilkinson inherited the Hall and the surrounding estates after his father died in 1818. He was the Curate at Holton St Peters from 1808-1815. He also paid for the local school to be built in 1814 and left an endowment of £200 a year to support the school.

The first record of the Hall is in 1832 Deeds re marriage settlement of Rev John Brewster Wilkinson, gentleman of Holbrooke and Jane Teresa Fitzgerald of Middlesex 15 May 1832, the daughter of John Fitzgerald (1775–1852)and Mary Frances Fitzgerald 1836 from the Ipswich Journal When we are told of the Auction of Mr Benjamin Roberts Bedwell who is changing his residence held at Holton Hall Holton near Halesworth It is a 3-day auction. The birth and deaths of 2 of his children are recorded in Holton st Peters church .

1840-1850

 The 1841 census shows a Mrs Harriet Lloyd living at the Hall with two others. She was the widow of David Lloyd, who died in 1839; he was the last resident partner at Gerney Bank Halesworth. She married the Rev Richard Day in 1842
 From the 1844 Whites Directory of Suffolk,HOLTON one mile E of Halesworth, is a pleasant village and parish containing 541 souls and 1132 acres of land mostly in the manor of Wissett le Rosse but chiefly the property of the Rev J B Wilknson & J Spiuk Esq. Holton Hall a neat mansion with pleasant grounds is the property of the Rev J B Wilkinson and is occupied by the Rev Richd Day.

1850-1860

 1851 Census shows Rev Richard Day and Harriet Day living at the Hall 
 1851 Oct 5th From The Ipswich Journal the Hall is up for let It Has 7 bedrooms and a cottage plus a lodge   it is still               advertised in June 1852 in the Ipswich Journal
  1853 A New owner Andrew Johnston (Scottish politician)Andrew_Johnston_(Scottish_politician) becomes the new owner of the Hall after the death of his wife  Priscilla Johnston, née Buxton (1808–1852), abolitionist. She was assistant to her father Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton whilst he led the parliamentary campaign to abolish British colonial slavery.

1860-1870

 1861 census Shows Andrew Johnston and his daughter + 5 servants at the Hall                                                     
1862 Andrew Johnston Dies. His Brother-in-Law Thomas Fowell Buxtonthe[[1]] son of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 1st Baronet Buxton of Belfield and Runton (1 April 1786 – 19 February 1845) and brother of Priscilla  is now the trustee of Holton Hall

1870-1880

  The 1871 census shows Living at Holton Hall, Sir Henry Mervyn Vavasour(3rd Baronet Vavasour, of Spaldington) and his wife Louisa Anne Neville Peer's daughter from Audley End,  also it shows 5 servants at the Hall,

1872 From the Ipswhich Journal Feb 1872 At the rent audit the tennents are told that the Holton Hall estate has been sold to Charles Easton he is the liberal candidate for Eye Suffolk. A lawyer from Berkshire. 1874 From Whites directory of Suffolk. Charles Easton Esq the lord of the manor whose seat Holton Hall a neat mansion with pleasant grounds is now being enlarged and improved.

1880-1890

The 1881 census shows Charles Easton's occupation as owner of land his wife Irene 5 children 6 servants.
1882 7th Febfrom the Bury and Norwich Newspaper the Hall is  destroyed by fire Charles Easton gives a detailed account of the fire to the newspaper only one room remains.
1882 The new building was in a florid, Louis XV style and was designed by Charles Smith of Reading (1832-1912) who had formerly been an assistant to the distinguished architect Samuel Teulon
 Dec 1882 From The Builder Holton Hall near Halesworth Suffolk the residence of Mr Charles Easton is being rebuilt after partial destruction by fire a year or two since. Messrs Charles Steward Smith and Son of Reading are the architects and the work is being carried out by men employed on the estate under the supervision of Mr Blandford clerk of works.
 1886  20th March  Holton Hall estate is up for sale by order of the Morgage holder Thomas Foxwell Buxton.
 1886 27 July most of the Holton Hall Estates remains unsold due to no bids or very low bids taken  from the Ipswich journal
 1887 Charles Easton is barred from standing as the liberal  candidate as the Hall is in possession of the mortgage holders.
 1887 Thomas Fowell Buxton sells Holton Hall estate to Charles John Easton the son of Charles Eastom.
      

1890-1900

  1891 Census Shows Charles John Easton Capt Suffolk Artillery. Agness his wife  born in Paris France   And 6 servants.
 1894 Gervain Lennard Easton is born at Holton he will later be awarded the military cross and later MC  bar.
 1894 September sudden death of  Charles Wolfran Nugent Guinness CB (1839–1894) at Holton Hall From Halesworth Advertiser.and The Illustrated London News  1894-09-15: Vol 105 Iss 2891.

1900-19103 27 March 1900 The Halesworth Times There is a death of his daughter the same year, about 2 o'clock, Alice Violet, aged 3 years, the dearly loved child of Alec. Clarke, Esq. and Mrs.Alice Clarke, of Holton Hall. died after about • fortnight's illness from fever, greatly to the sorrow of its loving parent.

 The 1901 Census shows a Mrs  Alice Clarke and 4 children and 8 servants her husband is a Russian banker he is not on the census'.
 1901 2 July  Alice Violet Clarke body is removed from St peters church and re-inter at Wyddiall Herefordshire.
 June 26 1909 lieut/col Charles John Easton dies after a long illness at Holton Hall.

1910 -1963

 1911 census the Hall has just  3 servants listed
 1912 Agness Easton starts holding fates in the garden for various charities most years they are 3 or 4 large events at the        hall
 1916 Gervaise Lennard Easton Awarded the Military Cross    
 1918  Gervaise Lennard Easton Awarded 2nd Military Cross
 1939/1940 The hall was appropriated by the War Office 
 1943 The USAF takes over the Hall and  the area surrounding it  the hall is home to 7,000 USAF  service personnel and           becomes RAF Halesworth
  1948 16 Dec  Agnes Easton dies at Castle House Halesworth she leaves £9000 in her will.        
  1957 the Hall was demolished.

Recent History

 1963 the grounds are sold.
 1968..The land was purchased by Jarman and Platte furniture makers from East London.
 1970s housing development, carved out of what was once the southernmost part of Holton Hall’s park. Beyond this                development lies the surviving historic core of the Hall’s parkland with its mature perimeter planting and woodland. This        retains ash, Hornbeam, Oak, Sycamore, and Horse Chestnut trees. This parkland is a significant natural habitat as well as     being of historic and aesthetic significance.
 1971 Planning Permission is granted for 55 caravans 
 1982 The owners of the caravans purchase the park and become A limited liability company.
 1994 Holton Hall Park was given the status of a 'County Wildlife Site, as it has no further developments and most of the          park remains unchanged The early nineteenth century tree belts along its eastern perimeter survive, as does the basic structure of the historic core of this late Georgian designed landscape..

1841 census https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M739-J88 1861—----------https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7DJ-D2C 1871—---------https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFNX-2F3 1881 —--------https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27D-YBXK 1891—---------https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4FLW-JZM 1901—---------https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSV8-

 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/awards-and-accreditation/ww1?results-page-size=10&start-publish-date=1914-08-01&text=++g+l+Easton&end-publish-date=1921-01-01 

References

1https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/History_Gazetteer_and_Directory_of_Suffo/8ksQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1