Games on the Lawn Guests congregate in the newly restored Saloon for some words from the Rev. Eleanor King, Rector of the Benefice and Mr Edward Strachan… Read more “Garden Party for the Church of St Edward King and Martyr, Goathurst”
Author: Roy Bolton
The Halswell Armorial
Above the main door on the Baroque Wing at Halswell House is an elaborately quartered coat of arms which no visitor can fail to miss. Carved and… Read more “The Halswell Armorial”
The Tudor Finials Part 2: Halswell Revisited, Tom Waugh’s Workshop
After the finial designs were agreed Tom made up some designs on card, of different sizes, so we could judge the effect from the ground. This turned… Read more “The Tudor Finials Part 2: Halswell Revisited, Tom Waugh’s Workshop”
The Country Land and Business Association Annual General Meeting and Tour
On September 25th, Edward Strachan hosted a wonderfully enthusiastic and spirited group from the CLA in September. The Somerset Chairman, David Hebditch, Vice-Chariman David Kenyon and the… Read more “The Country Land and Business Association Annual General Meeting and Tour”
The Tudor Finials
Part 1: Design and Planning Since the late-seventeenth century the Tudor and Elizabethan ranges have been mostly forgotten, eclipsed by the creation of the Baroque Wing in… Read more “The Tudor Finials”
The Dam at the Bath Stone Bridge
Part 1: Exploration and Archaeology While much of the damaged and missing stone is being carved for the restoration of the bridge, the dam works have also… Read more “The Dam at the Bath Stone Bridge”
Bath Stone Bridge: The Restoration
Part 1: Repairing The Stone Since 2016 mason Mike Orchard has been carving new stone to replace the damaged or lost elements of this Halswell Park icon.… Read more “Bath Stone Bridge: The Restoration”
The Roof is Up!
A big thank you to everyone at Corbel Conservation Ltd. for their hard work and dedication in fixing up the roof, as well as everyone involved in the… Read more “The Roof is Up!”
U3A Visit To Halswell House
On Thursday 18th August , Halswell House hosted a visit by members of the Weston Super Mare U3 (University of the Third Age) Architecture Appreciation Society Russell… Read more “U3A Visit To Halswell House”
Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell
Part Three: The Rockwork Screen, or Grotto The history, purpose, later uses and relative obscurity of this fascinating feature makes it one of the most interesting of… Read more “Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell”
Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell
Part Two: The Bath Stone Bridge “One of the most curious and obscure garden buildings in the country – the 1750’s rockwork and shell encrusted Bridge at… Read more “Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell”
Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell
Part One: Kemeys-Tynte, Wright and The Druid’s Hut Was Wright responsible for designing Mill Wood and its buildings? In this regard the comparison with Wright’s documented work… Read more “Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1786) at Halswell”
The Temple Bridge
Part of the Mill Wood Restoration Scheme Opposite the Temple of Harmony and sitting in a high position on the southern bank of Mill Wood’s final pond… Read more “The Temple Bridge”
The Roadside Cascade
Restoration of the Mill Wood lakes outflow The water that springs up in the cold bath at the south of Mill Wood flows through various lakes, over… Read more “The Roadside Cascade”
Hoisting Up the New Chimney Pots
11th February 2016 -RB
Somerset Gardens Trust Tree Presentation
8th February 2016 To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Somerset Gardens Trust and it’s AGM at Halswell House the Chairman, Mrs Camilla Carter, and Edward Strachan… Read more “Somerset Gardens Trust Tree Presentation”
The Mill Wood Tree Planting
With 4,423 specimens being planted in January 2016 These are the last photographs taken of Mill Wood whilst still an agricultural field (1950-2016). On Monday 18th January… Read more “The Mill Wood Tree Planting”
The Temple of Harmony
and Robert Adam at Halswell “Passing to the Ionic portico, which is excellently placed, the scenery in view is truly enchanting; the lawn is gently waved, and… Read more “The Temple of Harmony”
The re-roofing of the Tudor Manor
And the removal of twenty-first-century dormer windows The roof structures of the old manor complex at Halswell date from the many different phases of building. Roofing evidence… Read more “The re-roofing of the Tudor Manor”
Revealing the historic Manor House at Halswell (part 1)
Restoration of the south façade. The areas highlighted in red date from the 1590’s improvements to the old manor. The blue outlined addition to the right was probably… Read more “Revealing the historic Manor House at Halswell (part 1)”
Restoration of the Riding School Facade
”…the court [yard] is enclosed by the west facade of the riding school (listed grade II), a red-brick structure designed by John Johnson in 1769.” – Historic… Read more “Restoration of the Riding School Facade”
The Coach House
And its rebirth as the new bat roost The Coach house, or a building of similar proportions, was on this site by 1756 when it was recorded… Read more “The Coach House”
Restoring the Chimneys
The chimney stacks at Halswell consist of two distinct groups; those hidden within the formal architecture of the Baroque north wing, and those that survived from the… Read more “Restoring the Chimneys”
The Sale and Break-up of the Estate
1948-1950
The Survival of Halswell
Amidst the Loss of England’s Country Houses Matthew Beckett, in his excellent online catalogue of lost country houses, has compiled a tally of the great estates that… Read more “The Survival of Halswell”
The Kemeys-Tynte family and the Wharton Barony
A History. The Wharton Barony passed into the Kemeys-Tynte family in 1916 due to the seventeenth-century marriage of the Hon. Mary Wharton (d.1699) and Sir Charles Kemeys,… Read more “The Kemeys-Tynte family and the Wharton Barony”
Halswell’s Lost Orangery
and a history of Orangeries in the Country House. The Orangery at Halswell existed from at least 1756, the date of the earliest map of Halswell known… Read more “Halswell’s Lost Orangery”
On This Day In 1908
Country Life magazine published the first of two articles focussing on Halswell. This article contains valuable photographic evidence of the internal layouts of the rooms at the… Read more “On This Day In 1908”
Halswell Monuments
At St. Edward’s Church, Goathurst. The monuments erected to the Halswell / Kemeys-Tynte family include names of some of the greatest sculptors to have worked in Britain,… Read more “Halswell Monuments”
The Venison Hut
Restoration of the Venison Hut The Venison Hut, located in the South meadow of Halswell Park between the house and Robin Hood’s Hut on the crest of… Read more “The Venison Hut”
The Historic Portraits of Halswell House
Dispersed during the break-up of the estate in 1950 Of the many paintings that hung at Halswell during the 900 years of Halswell/Kemeys-Tynte family possession, it is… Read more “The Historic Portraits of Halswell House”
Somerset Gardens Trust
Annual General Meeting and 25th Anniversary Many thanks to Mrs Camilla Carter, the Chairman of the Somerset Gardens Trust, for holding such a hugely enjoyable gathering to… Read more “Somerset Gardens Trust”
Halswell’s Baroque Wing
Development seen through historic images from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Somerset Gardens Trust Magazine – Halswell Park Progress pt.2
Edward Strachan discusses the historic park and gardens for Somerset Gardens Trust Magazine, Summer Edition
Somerset Gardens Trust Magazine – Halswell Park Progress pt.1
Edward Strachan discusses the historic park and gardens for Somerset Gardens Trust Magazine, Spring Edition
The Folly Fellowship
Private group visit to the house, landscape gardens and, of course, the follies. As a member of the group myself, since the early 1990’s – I am thrilled… Read more “The Folly Fellowship”
The Rotunda (Mrs. Busby’s Temple)
Completed restoration project
Bath University Visit
Study by Masters Students in the Conservation of Historic Buildings and the Conservation of Historic Gardens and Cultural Landscapes On the 18th March 2015, masters students, studying… Read more “Bath University Visit”
Opening of Mill Wood and The Rotunda
Edward Strachan’s 50th Birthday “Halswell has found its champion” proclaimed Marcus Binney of SAVE, as the walls of Halswell House filled with applause for new owner Edward… Read more “Opening of Mill Wood and The Rotunda”
The Georgian Group
Visit to the House and the Georgian Architectural Awards 2014. A gathering of the members of the Georgian Group, led by organiser Tina Graham, was held at… Read more “The Georgian Group”
Halswell Park 