What is the history of the house?
The present house was built around 1565 by William Hawtrey, a wealthy industrialist and merchant. Soon after the building’s construction, Hawtrey became the custodian of Lady Jane Grey’s sister, Lady Mary Grey, after she had offended Queen Elizabeth I by marrying Thomas Keys without her permission and was imprisoned at Checkers for two years. One of the reception rooms in the house still bears the Hawtrey name.
The last member of the Hawtrey family to occupy the house died in 1638 and the estate passed through several different owners, was briefly confiscated by Parliament during the Civil War and served as a military hospital during the First World War. Various custodians made alterations to the house, most notably in the 19th century, before Viscount Lee of Fareham and his wife Ruth restored the house to its original appearance, both inside and out. In the mid-20th century, renowned British decorator John Fowler was called upon to paint some of the rooms with his signature country house style.
Does it have any significant collections?
Surprisingly, there is a large collection of checkers ArtThese include paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Sir Joshua Reynolds and objects of historical importance – notably Oliver Cromwell’s death mask, Elizabeth I’s ring, Lord Nelson’s pocketwatch and Napoleon’s dispatch case. The library in the Long Gallery contains early editions Books By Chaucer, Dickens and Tennyson. Although the house is not open to the public, we can steal a glimpse of some of the grand rooms from the significant political press coverage. events And some rare snapshots of some rooms.
