Halswell House

Infobox Historic building


caption=
name= Halswell House
location_town=Goathurst
location_country=England
map_type=Somerset
latitude = 51.1049
longitude = -3.0654
architect=
client=
engineer=
construction_start_date=1689
completion_date=
date_demolished=
cost=
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Halswell House is a country house in Goathurst, Somerset, England.

The tudorcite book |title=Portrait of the Quantocks |last=Waite |first=Vincent |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1964 |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London |isbn=0709111584 |pages= ] house was originally purchased by the Tynte family, which was united with the Kemeys family of Cefn Mably when Jane Kemeys married the Rev. John Tynte (d. 1710), 2nd baronet of Halswell, and rector of Goathurst. The couple were succeeded in turn by their three sons: Halsewell Tynte (1705-30), 3rd baronet, of Halswell and Cefnmabli, whose two daughters died young, the Rev. John Tynte (1707-1740, d. unm.), 4th baronet and rector of Goathurst, and Charles Kemeys Tynte (1710-1785, dsp.), 5th baronet. Cefn Mably remained in the hands of the Kemeys Tynte family until 1923. [http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/fulldesc_nofr?inst_id=36&coll_id=1179&expand=]

Halswell Park was developed between 1745 and 1785 as a setting for [http://www.halswell.co.uk/ Halswell House] . The 17 acre pleasure garden was created by Sir Charles Kemeys Tynte, with the transformation of the landscape on a grand scale to rank in scope and importance with some of the finest landscape gardens in Europe.

The grounds contain many fanciful buildings, fish ponds, cascades and bridges, [cite web | title=Ornamental bridge with flanking half-figures | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=2&id=269307 | accessdate=2006-11-04] including the Temple of Harmony which stands in Mill Wood. Completed in 1767, it is Grade II listed [cite web | title=Temple | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=2&id=269306 | accessdate=2006-11-04] and has been fully restored. It is open to the public on Sundays from May until September [http://www.somersite.co.uk/temple.htm]

The contents of the house were sold in 1948, and the house itself in 1950 when the rest of the estate was auctioned off. Part of the house was converted into flats. In 1985 it was again sold and restoration work was carried out; it is now owned privately and can be hired as an exclusive [http://www.halswellweddings.co.uk/ wedding] and party venue through an agent.

The Halswell Park Trust was established with the aim of acquiring the buildings and surrounding land of Halswell Park, restoring them and opening them to the public. In 1998, the Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust restored Robin Hood's Hut (Grade II), [cite web | title= Robin Hood's Hut | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=2&id=269439 | accessdate=2006-11-04] which commands views over Somerset, the Bristol Channel and South Wales. Robin Hood's Hut is now owned by the Landmark Trust, who let the building on short holiday leases.

Halswell House is now a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Halswell House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=2&id=269300 | accessdate=2006-11-04]

Halswell House is now a venue for weddings and corporate events and it is a beautiful building.

References

ee also

*List of POW camps in Britain

External links

* [http://www.halswell.co.uk/ Halswell House] being developed by Dunster Properties