Spixworth Park
| Spixworth Hall | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
  Location within Norfolk | |
| General information | |
| Type | Historic house |
| Architectural style | Elizabethan |
| Town or city | Spixworth, Norfolk. |
| Coordinates | 52°40′47″N 1°18′26″E / 52.6796°N 1.3073°E |
| Completed | 1607 |
| Demolished | 1952 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Peck |
Spixworth Hall was an Elizabethan stately home situated in the civil parish of Spixworth, Norfolk, located just north of the city of Norwich on the Buxton Road.
Location
The Hall was located in Spixworth, close to the Buxton road and was 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Norwich and some 10 miles (16.1 km) south of North Walsham.
History
The hall was constructed by William Peck in 1607. The park comprised 200 acres which ran parallel to the present Buxton Road. The estate was over 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) situated on the edge of Norwich with land bordering the present Norwich International Airport.
The Longe family, who were considerable land owners, owning Reymerston Hall, Norfolk, Hingham Hall, Norfolk, Dunston Hall, Norfolk, Abbot's Hall, Stowmarket and Yelverton Hall, Norfolk, bought the estate from the Pecks in 1693. Spixworth Hall and the surrounding parkland remained in the Longe family for 257 years until 1950, when it was demolished.[1] In 1920, the hall was tenanted to Reginald and Maud Gurney of Gurney's Bank, Norwich who had recently moved from Earlham Hall. Many buildings of the former estate still remain including the gate house, dove cote, stable block and the ice house.[1]
Longe family
A number of the Longe family served as High Sheriffs of Norfolk and High Sheriff of Suffolk:
- 1641 Robert Longe, of Reymerston Hall.
- 1644 Robert Longe, of Fowlden.
- 1752 Francis Longe, of Spixworth Hall.
- 1757 Israel Longe, of Dunston Hall.
- 1726 Francis Longe, of Spixworth Hall, and Reymerston Hall.
- 1786 Francis Longe, of Spixworth Hall.
- 1975: Desmond Evelyn Longe of Woodton Grange, Bungay, Suffolk.
- 1984: Nicholas Longe of Grange Farm, Hasketon, Woodbridge.
Other notable members of the Longe family:
- William of Wykeham (1320 or 1324 – 27 September 1404), son of John Longe of Wickham, served as Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England. He founded New College Oxford and New College School in 1379, and founded Winchester College in 1382. Wykeham (Longe) also served as the clerk of works when much of Windsor Castle was built. Descendants of Wykeham and distant cousins to the Longe family include the Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family whose descendants include explorer, Ranulph Fiennes and actor, Ralph Fiennes.[3]
- Rev John Longe (b. 25 July 1731 - d. 18 Sept 1806). Chaplain to George III.[1]
- Rev John Longe (b. 15 Apr 1765 – d. 13 Mar 1834), Vicar of Coddenham. 1789, ordained priest at Norwich Cathedral. Norfolk County magistrate. Author of The Diary of John Longe, Vicar of Coddenham (1765–1834), edited by Michael Stone, general editor Richard Wilson, 2008.[4][5]
- Francis Davy Longe (b. 25 Sept 1831 – d. 20 Sept 1905), Inspector Local Government Board, First-Class cricketer, descendant of Pocahontas. Educated Harrow School, Oriel College, Oxford and Inner Temple. Author of An Inquiry into the Law of 'Strikes', 1860. A Refutation of the Wage-Fund Theory of Modern Political Economy as enunciated by Mr. Mill, MP and Mr. Fawcett, M.P., 1866. A Critical Examination of Mr. George's Progress & Poverty and Mr. Mill's Theory of Wages, 1883. Lowestoft in Olden Times.[6][7]
- Henrietta Charlotte Longe, youngest daughter of Robert Bacon Longe, J.P., (b. 30 Mar 1830 - d. 20 Jan 1911) married Charles Arthur Bathurst Bignold, son of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Bignold and great-grandson of Thomas Bignold, founder of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company.
- William Verner Longe (b. 27 April 1857 - d. 19 Sept 1924), artist. Works include 'Eclipse Stakes 1893 - Orme wins again', 'The Grand National 1899 - Over the water', 'The Princess of Wales Stakes 1896' and 'Jacana 1923'.[8]
- Col. Francis Bacon Longe, of Spixworth Park, C.B., J.P, (b. 31 Oct 1856 - d. 2 June 1922) Lord of the Manor of Spixworth Park.[9]
- John Norman Sullivan Longe, OBE.[10]
- Major Desmond Longe. High Sheriff of Norfolk 1975. President of the Norwich Union Insurance Company. S.O.E agent. Codename, Refraction. Commander of the inter-allied mission Eucalyptus (1944). Mission Eucalyptus served as the inspiration for the greatest spy fictional hero of all time, James Bond, codenamed, secret agent 007.[2][11]
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References
- 1 2 3 http://www.eleanor19.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/files/spixworth.pdf
- 1 2 http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/the_amazing_story_of_a_norfolk_soldier_and_an_operation_which_it_is_claimed_provided_inspiration_for_james_bond_1_1790058
- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220968/My-family-misfits--Britains-intrepid-explorer-Ranulph-Fiennes-tells-stories-ancestors.html
- ↑ "CODDENHAM | joemasonspage". joemasonspage.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ↑ https://books.google.com/booksid=H8F0yP4Kf_wC&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+longe+coddenham&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjH3rjBkejLAhUD7hoKHRTrAl4Q6AEIHjAA#v=onepage&q=john%20longe%20coddenham&f=false[]
- ↑ "Francis Davy LONGE (1831–1910), British economist | Prabook". prabook.org. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ↑ "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ↑ "Suffolk Painters". suffolkpainters.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28388/supplement/4476/data.pdf
- ↑ "Person Page". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=9Je9zpJVbAIC&pg=PA26&dq=major+desmond+longe+eucalyptus&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjznNH7y7nMAhVgGsAKHQH2BD4Q6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=major%20desmond%20longe%20eucalyptus&f=false