Byfleet Manor

Coordinates: 51°19′53.6″N 0°27′49.9″W / 51.331556°N 0.463861°W / 51.331556; -0.463861
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Byfleet Manor
OS grid reference
TQ 07116 60280
Built1685
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameManor House and Manorside West
Designated22 July 1953
Reference no.1236613
Byfleet Manor is located in Surrey
Byfleet Manor
Location of Byfleet Manor in Surrey

Byfleet Manor is a Grade II* listed house[1] in Byfleet, Surrey, England. Byfleet Manor has been used as a filming location in three television series, most notably Downton Abbey.

History

Byfleet Manor's precursor was a royal

Edward II to Piers Gaveston, his reputed lover.[2] Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I, the house's last royal owner, commissioned a fresh house here in 1617. She kept horses sent by her brother Christian IV in the park, and spent at least £250 on the house. However, she died before the work was finished. The front walls and gate piers, which can still be seen today, date from that time.[3]

A detailed ownership and account of royal rights is set out in sources covering this period of history, such as the

The National Archives, but which is well summarised in, for example, the Victoria County History.[4]

A rebuilding followed in 1685 as the Jacobean house was reported to be ruinous. This change led to a much smaller building. In 1672 the lands were granted to Lord Holles and others to hold in trust for Queen Catherine of Braganza for her life, and afterwards for Charles II of England and his heirs. In 1694 Sir John Buckworth, lord of the manor of Byfleet, was accused of neglect in repairing a bridge over the Wey. It was found, however, that he was not responsible for such repair, as he was only a "termer for years" in the manor under a "lease made by the late queen mother's trustees." There is very little trace of the manor for about a century after this.

An Enclosure Award, privatising fields, was made in 1811 for 780 acres (3.2 km2) in the parish, including common fields of Byfleet Manor, i.e. formerly whose profits were shared between its owner, tenants and subtenants.

The house remained virtually unaltered until 1905, when it was restored and enlarged with the addition of asymmetrical wings. The scant modern vestiges of the ancient

manorial rights were sold to a firm of solicitors in that decade.[4] In February 2013, a hidden room was found within the home.[5] The owners have allowed the patios and front rooms to be hired to host 1920s-themed tea parties.[6]

Filming location

Byfleet has been used as a filming location including; Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie's Poirot: After the Funeral, Cranford and Into the Woods.[7][8][9]

References

  1. ^ Historic England. "MANOR HOUSE AND MANORSIDE WEST (1236613)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Surrey mansion's starring role as Dame Maggie Smith's home in Downton Abbey - Out & about". Surrey Life. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. ^ Frances Mitchell, 'The Manor House Byfleet', Surrey Archaeological Collections, 20 (1907), p. 161
  4. ^ a b H.E. Malden, ed. (1911). "Parishes: Byfleet". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  5. ^ "BBC News - 'Downton' house could unlock secrets of Surrey history". Bbc.co.uk. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Tea Vintage at Byfleet Manor". YouTube. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Internet Movie Database". IMDb. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  8. ^ Jennifer Morris (12 September 2012). "Downton Abbey home from home for Dame Maggie". getsurrey. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  9. ^ "Into the Woods: the journey from stage to screen". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
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