Babington House Explained

Babington House
Coordinates:51.258°N -2.4251°W
Location:Babington, Somerset, England
Built:1705
Designation1:Grade II* listed building
Designation1 Offname:Babington House
Designation1 Date:11 March 1968
Designation1 Number:1177567
Designation2:National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
Designation2 Type:Grade II
Designation2 Offname:Babington House
Designation2 Date:1 June 1984
Designation2 Number:1001137

Babington House is a Grade II* listed manor house, located in the village of Babington, between Radstock and Frome, in the county of Somerset, England.

Converted to a private members club and hotel by Nick Jones, it is currently owned by Soho House Ltd. Since 1999 it has hosted many celebrity weddings.

History

The village of Babington dates from medieval times. Its name derives from the Babington family, who were once associated with the village,[1] but it appears to have been for the most part demolished to make way for the house around 1705.[2]

The manor was sold by Thomas and Mary Mankham to Joan Elcode, a widow, according to a deed dated Easter 1572. The estate then contained 7 messuages, one cottage, 10 tofts, 1 water mill, 10 gardens, 14 orchards, 300 acres (121 hectares) of land, 120acres of meadow, 160acres of pasture, 20acres of wood and 120acres of furze and carried an annual rent of 4 shillings and 1lb of pepper.[3]

The estate passed through several hands until it was forfeited to the Crown in 1593. By the late 17th century, the manor belonged to Thomas Pacey who left it to his sister, Margaret. She was married to a Bristol alderman, William Crabb, and subsequently passed the manor on to their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Henry Mompesson of Corston, Wiltshire (1633–1715) who was Sheriff of Somerset in 1698.[2]

The current house was built around 1705 for Henry Mompesson, probably on the foundations of an earlier building which would have been owned by the Babington family.[1] It has since been extensively altered and extended, including in 1790, possibly by John Pinch the elder, for Captain Charles Knatchbull, who had inherited it via Mrs Elizabeth Long, a niece of the Mompessons.

Babington was inhabited by successive members of the Knatchbull family until the house and immediate grounds were sold following the death in 1951 of Mrs Knatchbull, the widow of Wyndham Knatchbull (1829–1900), a captain of the 3rd Dragoon Guards.[4] Mrs Knatchbull was better known under her maiden name as the pianist and composer Dora Bright.[5] In April 1939, BBC Radio broadcast a concert of her playing from Babington House.[6]

Adjacent to Babington House is the Grade I listed Church of St Margaret, which is owned and operated by the St. Margaret's, Babington, Charitable Trust. The Grounds of Babington House are listed Grade II in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.

Hotel and private members club

In 1998, Nick Jones who had founded the Soho House club in Soho, London bought the property. He converted it to a hotel, club and wedding venue for the London members of the Soho House club, as well as for new Somerset members. The property is also part-owned by actor Neil Morrissey.

In that year, Jones was cautioned by police after eleven Polish illegal immigrants were found working at the hotel.[7]

Wedding ceremonies are performed in St Margaret's Church or in the orangery. Weddings for non-members are allowed.[8]

Notable weddings held at Babington House

Grounds

To the north of the House are lawns planted with 19th-century specimen deciduous and coniferous trees and ornamental shrubberies. From here there are views north and northeast across the park beyond the former northwest drive towards the grounds of Ammerdown House, Kilmersdon.

Within the grounds a chain of five informal pools lies in a shallow valley about 70m (230feet) west of the House. The pools are surrounded by mixed specimen trees and shrubberies. A walk on the western side of the pools leads to a kitchen garden southwest of the House.[2]

Architecture

The house of mainly Georgian architecture has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. The 18th-century stable block and coach house have now been made into three separate dwellings. The grounds also contain a listed ice house and two sets of gates, which are Grade II listed.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Copographica Genealogica, Vol VIII, John Bowyer Nichols and Son. BABINGTONIA.
  2. Web site: Park, Babington House, Babington . 3 September 2007 . Somerset Historic Environment Record . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201403/http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23717. 30 September 2007 . live.
  3. Web site: Deserted medieval village, Babington . 3 September 2007 . Somerset Historic Environment Record . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927233132/http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23716 . 27 September 2007 . dead .
  4. Encyclopedia: Mosley . Charles . Burke's Peerage and Baronetage . Brabourne . 1999 . Burke's Peerage . 1 . Switzerland . 2-940085-02-1 . 348–349 .
  5. Book: Powell, Violet . Violet Powell . The Departure Platform: An Autobiography . 1998 . Heinemann . London . 25–26 . 0-434-00507-X .
  6. Web site: Wenzel . Silke . Dora Bright . Musik und Gender im Internet (MUGI). Musikvermittlung und Genderforschung . Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg . 7 November 2011 . 18 December 2014 . de . https://web.archive.org/web/20141218225329/http://mugi.hfmt-hamburg.de/Artikel/Dora_Bright . 18 December 2014 . dead .
  7. News: Celebrities' hotel risks fine over immigrants . The Daily Telegraph . London . Richard . Savill . 3 February 2001 . 26 April 2010.
  8. News: Babington House, Somerset . . . 18 December 2014.
  9. News: Holidays: Bed and bawd . Sunday Mirror . Gill . Williams . 6 February 2005.
  10. News: Wanna be in my club? . Rachel . Cooke . The Observer . 13 April 2003 . 12 July 2011 . London.
  11. Nervous Kirsty makes wedding news.(News). https://web.archive.org/web/20121103011234/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60335938.html. dead. 3 November 2012. 1 October 1999. highbeam.com. 11 December 2016.
  12. News: Nirpal Singh Dhaliwal: Me & Missus Jones . The Independent . London . 2 April 2006 . 26 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100421110912/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/nirpal-singh-dhaliwal-me-amp-missus-jones-472395.html. 21 April 2010 . dead.
  13. Web site: Irish wedding news, wedding news ireland . 2010-01-31 . dead . https://archive.today/20120917174633/http://www.wedding-ireland.com/wedding_news.asp . 17 September 2012 .
  14. Web site: Natasha Kaplinsky . 3 September 2007 . Rex Features . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927042241/http://shop.rexfeatures.com/low.php?xp=gm&xg=5175 . 27 September 2007 . dead .
  15. Web site: Mirror Online: The intelligent tabloid. #madeuthink. mirror.co.uk. 11 December 2016.
  16. Web site: BridalStars Celebrity Weddings: 13008: BBC Radio Star Richard Bacon's Wedding . 2010-01-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081205043710/http://www.lovetripper.com/bridalstars/2008/01/13008-bbc-radio-star-richard-bacons.html . 5 December 2008 .
  17. Web site: BridalStars Celebrity Weddings: 120608: Pearl Lowe and Danny Goffey's Wedding . 2010-01-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081223002026/http://www.lovetripper.com/bridalstars/2008/12/120608-pearl-lowe-and-danny-goffeys.html . 23 December 2008 .
  18. News: Oddy. Jane. TV presenter Jenni Falconer on marriage, motherhood and how her love of running helped her stay in shape after childbirth. 31 May 2017. Daily Record. 1 September 2013.
  19. Web site: Duffer gets over the Hand of Henry by taking Elaine's hand in marriage - Herald.ie. herald.ie. 11 December 2016.
  20. Somerset Guardian, 24 June 2010
  21. Web site: I'm building a happy family, says TV presenter Amanda Lamb . Steve . Hendry . 10 November 2013 . dailyrecord.co.uk . 11 December 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161222062255/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/tv/im-building-happy-family-says-2712495 . 22 December 2016 .
  22. Web site: Latest Somerset Shepton Mallet news - Somerset Live . sheptonmalletjournal.co.uk . 11 December 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140522213458/http://www.sheptonmalletjournal.co.uk/50-Shades-Grey-film-directed-Sam-Taylor-Johnson/story-19367650-detail/story.html . 22 May 2014 .
  23. Web site: James Corden ties the knot to Julia Carey in lavish £250,000 wedding. metrowebukmetro. 16 September 2012. metro.co.uk. 11 December 2016.
  24. Web site: Jamie Dornan on how he proposed to wife Amelia Warner . 6 February 2022 .
  25. Web site: Grazia Daily UK Official - Fashion News - Celebrity - Hair - Magazine. graziadaily.co.uk. 11 December 2016.
  26. Web site: Celebrity split: Tanya Burr and husband Jim Chapman part ways after 3 years. 13 March 2019. Hellomagazine.com. 9 December 2021.
  27. News: YouTubers Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman get married. bbc.co.uk. 6 September 2015. 11 December 2016.
  28. Web site: Broadway Boys Andy Mientus And Michael Arden Got Married. newnownext.com. 11 December 2016.
  29. Web site: Courtney Love, Nick Grimshaw and more in Frome for wedding of Florence + The Machine couple. 28 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160928104943/http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/courtney-love-nick-grimshaw-and-more-in-frome-for-wedding-of-florence-the-machine-couple/story-29742754-detail/story.html. 9 December 2021. 28 September 2016.
  30. Web site: Eoin Morgan wife: Who is England captain married to? Will she be at World Cup final?. Andy. Wilson. 14 July 2019. Express.co.uk. 9 December 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Babington House".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.