Hainton Hall, Market Rasen, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The Heneage family came to Hainton in the 12th century when Sir Robert de Heneage is known to have lived there. His descendants added considerably to the family wealth and land holdings and by the 16th century held positions of some power, Sir Thomas Heneage being Privy Councillor and Vice Chamberlain to Elizabeth I. Hainton descended to another branch of the family however when it was passed on to John Heneage in 1557. In 1638 his descendant, Sir George Heneage II completed the rebuilding of the house with a central Great Hall and two flanking wings; the south front still carries a cartouche dated 1638. In 1735 Sir George Heneage VI returned from a Grand Tour and embarked on a remodelling of the house in the Georgian style. Sir George VI was succeeded by George Fieschi Heneage who, in 1763, commissioned Lancelot Brown (1716-83) to landscape the park. Part of Brown's proposals were carried out although in 1780, William Emes (1730-1803) was brought in by Sir George Heneage VII to propose a position for a new lake, Brown's suggestion having proved impracticable. Sir George VII continued to make improvements and in about 1809 he employed the architect Peter Atkinson to update the Hall by rebuilding the west wing and adding a new entrance on this front to replace that on the south front. Atkinson is also thought to have built the stable courtyard and archway beyond the east front. In 1833 George Heneage VIII succeeded his father and he employed E J Willson to help him make changes to the estate, adding a lodge, a small Catholic chapel, and a stable block between 1834 and 1836. Willson also turned his attention to the gardens, making changes to the icehouse, glasshouses, and other garden buildings. George VIII died in 1864 to be succeeded by his son Edward (later Lord) Heneage, who in the 1880s began further improvements to the Hall under the direction of the architect William Burn. Burn added a porch, an extension to the east wing, and replaced Willson's east lodge. On Whit Sunday 1919 a fire destroyed the east wing, which was rebuilt by Lord Heneage in two rather than the original four storeys. Lord Heneage died in 1922 and in 1924 a further fire occurred causing more damage to the Hall. When the second Lord Heneage died in 1954 the estate passed to the nine-year-old James Neil Heneage from another branch of the family. During his minority the trustees demolished the east wing in 1956 and removed the top storey of the central block. When James Heneage came of age and inherited the estate he commissioned the architect W H Hemmings to rebalance the external appearance of the Hall, the work being completed in 1975. Further additions were made in 1985 to designs by Charles Morris. The site remains (2001) in private ownership.