Holme Pierrepont

Holme Pierrepont, 1676

Built by William Pierrepont, it retains its red brick Tudor front with battlementing and dates from 1510. The Pierrepont family were the Earls and Dukes of Kingston in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1806 the house was inherited by a nephew, Earl Manvers. The Manvers built Thoresby Hall, another Salvin house, between 1864 and 1875 and moved there on its completion. Holme Pierrepont then became a lesser house.

In 1969 Mrs Brackenbury, a descendant of the 3rd Earl Manvers, purchased the property with her husband and so it still remained within the family.

Writing in the 1950s, Sir Nicholas Pevsner comments: ' ... here is a case where a mansion of the proudest is still completely inhabited and used as it was when the era of Disraeli conceived it’.

The Pierreponts are said to be of Norman extraction, and the name suggests such an origin but the first to be fully documented was Sir Henry Pierrepont, who, at the end of the 13th century, married an heiress, Annora de Manvers of Holme near Nottingham. This property was to be their descendants’ principal seat for several centuries and became known as Holme Pierrepont, and though the name of Manvers disappeared it was resurrected in the 19th century.

The son of Robert and Annora, another Robert, became Governor of Newark Castle, and the family connection with that town was also perpetuated later when, in 1627, the then head of the family, Robert Pierrepont, was created Lord Pierrepont, Viscount Newark and later Earl of Kingston. It was the 1st Earl of Kingston who acquired the estate of Thoresby which hitherto had passed through the hands of many different families.

The Pierreponts can be seen in marble and alabaster in the church at Holme Pierrepont. The great house there, ceased to be the principal seat of the Pierreponts after the acquisition of Thoresby. William Talman, the architect of Chatsworth, was brought in to design the first Thoresby Hall.

The Pierreponts provide interesting genealogical links with the other families of the Dukeries as will be seen from the tree. The first of these links was Sir Henry Pierrepont’s marriage with Frances Cavendish, one of Bess of Hardwick’s daughters. They were the parents of the 1st Earl of Kingston.

Lord Kingston was an ardent Royalist in the Civil War though earlier he had sat on the fence and declared that he would rather be torn in two than take sides in the conflict. In due course loyalty won and he joined the Royalists but he was later taken prisoner by Lord Willoughby who put the Earl in a small boat bound for Kingston-on- Hull - the only town in Yorkshire which was not for the King, an irony surpassed only by the unfortunate man being literally cut in half by a Royalist cannon ball fired at the boat as it sailed up the Humber.

Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu,nee Pierrepoint

The 2nd Earl of Kingston was also a Royalist and adhered to Charles I, accompanying him to Oxford. Two years after succeeding to his father’s titles, he was himself created Marquess of Dorchester. Scholarly and eccentric, he was a man of violent temper and much addicted to duels.

Dorchester was called to the Bar and also studied medicine. He took the latter subject very seriously and when he died a bachelor in 1680, he left his fine medical library to the Royal College of Physicians. The marquessate became extinct, but the earldom was inherited by three great-nephews in turn, the third of whom became the 5th Earl of Kingston. He was Evelyn Pierrepont. Queen Anne re-granted him the extinct marquessate of Dorchester and on the succession of George I he was made a Privy Councillor and raised to the rank of Duke of Kingston. His daughter, Lady Mary Pierrepont, made her mark in the fields of both medicine and literature. She eloped with Edward Wortley Montagu, a diplomat, and spent some time in Turkey where she observed a primitive form of inoculation among the natives. This she tried on her own child saving him from smallpox. In spite of being hounded and ridiculed by the Church, the medical profession and her neighbours, Lady Mary, like Dr. Jenner, fought to introduce smallpox immunisation into England against prejudice and ignorance.

Lady Mary’s brother never lived to inherit and the dukedom went to the 1st Duke’s grandson, Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston. This Duke went through a ceremony of marriage with Elizabeth Chudleigh who had been secretly married to the Hon. Augustus Hervey, a naval lieutenant. The marriage was a disaster and when Hervey found that he would soon become Earl of Bristol, he decided to get rid of his wife, and sued for divorce. Elizabeth denied that the marriage had taken place and a court ruled that she was technically a spinster. She had, for some time, been the mistress of the Duke of Kingston who then married her, died and left her all his property for life. The dukedom became extinct, but there was an ultimate heir to the Duke’s fortune - his nephew Charles Meadows who instituted proceedings for bigamy against the Duchess. As she was by now legally Countess of Bristol, she was tried by the House of Lords and found guilty. Meadows succeeded to the Kingston estates immediately and adopted the name and arms of Pierrepont. In 1796, he was created Baron Pierrepont and Viscount Newark. It would have been pleasant to have had the earldom of Kingston re-created for him, but some years before, the King family had been made Earls of Kingston in the peerage of Ireland. Meadows, now Pierrepont, went back for his title to the marriage centuries before which brought the Pierreponts their first permanent family home - the marriage with Annora de Manvers. The new Viscount Newark was, in 1807, created Earl Manvers. This title, became extinct in 1955 on the death of the 6th and last Earl Manvers, though the family still lives in the house, which now belongs to the National Coal Board.

In 1845 Lady Mary, daughter of Earl and Countess Manvers married at Thoresby to Mr. Egerton, second son of Wilbraham Egerton of Tatton Park. The honeymoon was spent at Firbeck Hall, the home of the Gally Knights.

Charles Herbert Pierrepont, Earl Manvers, Viscount Newark, Baron Pierrepont,(son of Charles Meadows) was born in the Rangers Lodge, Richmond park on 11 August, 1773. He married Mary Letitia, daughter of Anthony Hardolph Eyre. They had 2 sons and 3 daughters:

Charles Herbert Pierrepont succeeded to the titles and estates of his father in June, 1816. He joined the Royal Navy and represented Nottinghamshire as M.P. from 1801 to 1816. He was patron of 14 livings. He died in October, 1860 aged 82, at Thoresby. He was succeeded by his son Sydney William Herbert Pierrepont (1825-1900), 3rd Earl Manvers.

To youngest son Geo. Pierrepont, manors and premises in Beighton, Eckington, Kellwalmarch, Calowe and Boythorpe (Derbyshire), and Adwick upon Derne, Hornesworth, Almeholme and Arksey (Yorkshire), with entail; in default to 2nd son Wm., 3rd son Francis, 4th son Rob., 5th son Gervas, in turn with entails.

To Francis, who is joint purchaser with testator of same, manor of Great Corringham and premises there and in Little Corringham, Ayseby, Yeawthorpe, Dunstall, Heapam and Springthorpe (Lincs.), with entail; in default to Wm., Geo., Rob. and Gervas in turn with entails.

To servants John Newton, John Butty and Geo. Rawson, £10 p.a. each for lives. To servants Edward North, Edmund Browne and Rob. Whyle, twenty nobles p.a. each for lives. To servants Rob. Bingham, Thos. Low, John Bell and Humfrey Burton, £4 p.a. each for lives. To Rob. Harlam, Rob. Reinshaw, Thos. Woodhouse, Anthony Shawe, Anthony Univen and Wm. Thorneley, 4 marks p.a. each for lives.

All these charges on manors and premises of Fledburgh, Walkeringham, Radington, Orston, Cropwell, Eekring, North Wheatley, Misterton, N. and S. Leverton, Hablesthorpe, Cottam, Belleau Parke, Brudmeer, Carcowlston and Elton. To be paid at testator's mansion in Holbeck Woodhouse.

To wife Gertrude, all household goods at Thoresby, and at Walley (Db.); and all other plate and household goods for life.

To son Wm., £6000 from Jas. Maulever, esq. and hopes he will give his eldest daughter Frances (goddaughter of testator's mother) £2400, and rest to daughters. Margaret and Grace.

To godson Rob., son of Wm., gold cup and porringer with covers and 2 gold spoons.

To Geo. Small and Originall Byron, solicitor John Skrimston, servants Wm. Urry, Matthew Gardum, John Pewe (?) and Rob. Arthur, a silver cup or bowl worth £7 each.

To executrix, all debts owed him and personal estate (except leaseholds) to pay debts, etc., also manors and rectories of or premises in Mansfield, Radmanthorpe, Southwell, Dunham, Radclyffe and Edwynstowe (Nt.), Basingfield, Westby, N. and S. Stoke, Stainsby, Hemingsby, Aterby and Burrough (Li.), Ingleby, Oxhill, Arnclyff and Wathersome (Y.), and those testator bought in Botlebridge, Orton Longvile and Orton Watervile (Hu.), for 10 yrs. to pay debts, etc.

To daughter Duchess of Newcastle, £2000 to give to her children; if she dies before so doing, it is for her unmarried daughters.

To daughters. Countess of Clare, Viscountess Halifax, to brother Gervase Pierrepont and to bro-in-law Sir John Evelyne, £100 each.

To grandsons Wm. and Evelyne P., £6000 each when 21 to buy lands, etc., as Gervase P., Sir John E., and d.-in-law Eliz. P. think best. To Wm. and Evelyne also £200 p.a. for maintenance till 21.

To granddaughter. Gertrude, £5000 when 21 or married with consent of mother Eliz. P., and £200 p.a. for maintenance.

To Eliz. P., £1000; also house in Lincolns Inn Fields with household goods for life, then to grandson Rob. P.

College, rectory and tithes of Tonge (Sa.) and ½ rectory tithes, and a close testator bought in Rothwell (Y.), to s. Gervase P.

To servants John Baker, Thos. Roberts, Rich. Wheman, Francis Byfield, Jeremy Behon and John Bingham, £20 each. To other servants, £5.

After payments, Nt., Li., Y. and Hu. premises, and lands bought since marriage of eldest son Rob. in Laxton and Kneesall (Nt.) and lease of Kneesall rectory, to grandson Rob. P. with entail; in default to Wm., Eveline and s. Gervase in turn with entails. All residue to grandsons Rob. Gervase P. and Sir John Evelyne to be overseers.

Debts charged on estates entailed on grandson Evelyn, Marquis of Dorchester, to remain so. Household goods, etc., at Thoresby and Holme Pierrepont (Nt.), West Dean (W.) and Tong Castle (Sa.), to remain there as heirlooms.

£2000 to wife as in marriage settlement. To her for life, house and lands at Acton (Mx.); she may will it to one or all of grandchildren or children, Evelyn, Marquis of Dorchester, Lady Frances P., Evelyn, Lady Gower, Frances, Countess of Marr, Lady Mary Wortloy, Ladies Carolina and Anne P.; if she does not, then to grandson Evelyn with entail. To wife for life house and lands at Hanslip (Bk. and Np.), and house and garden in Arlington Street (Mx.). She to have use of goods therein for life, except pictures at Arlington Street and Acton which are for grandson, then they are to go as heirlooms.

Pearl necklace given to family by Lady Grace Pierrepont to grandson, then to heirs male as heirloom. Best diamond necklace to wife for life, then to grands. as heirloom. Diamond earrings and all other jewels to wife; also plate up to 2000 ounces and her dressing plate; and also linen at Acton and Arlington Street.

To daughters Carolina and Anne, £1500 each when 21 or married; interest for maintenance at 3% till 14, then at 4%. If one die, then £2500 to other. If he has more daughters., then £4000 to be shared by all in lieu of above. All above bequests to wife and daughters. in lieu of provisions of settlement.

To executors £6000 on trust for daughter Mary Wortley for life, then for her daughter Mary (in default to any other daughter, or sons except eldest).

To daughters Carolina, Anne, and granddaughter Frances P., £100 each for mourning. To daughters. Lady Gower, Countess of Marr and Mary Wortley, £200 each for mourning.

To servant Wm. Katighan, £20 p.a. for life, and to servant, his wife, £15 p.a. for life. To servants 1 yr.'s wages and mourning; mourning also to bailiffs and stewards.

Manor of Ratcliffe and premises lately bought from Mundy Musters to grandson with entail.

All residue of personal estate to executors to pay debts and legacies, etc.; debts also charged on estates, except Acton and Radcliffe, which executors to hold for 500 yrs. for same.

All real estate (except as bequeathed) to any son with entail; in default to grandson with entail. All reversionary estates in Nottingham, Lincoln , Yorkshire, Derbyshire, W. and Ha. (including Ratcliffe and Acton) to any s. with entail. On determination of other estates, then:- Sa., St., Bk. and Np. premises to d. Evelyn, Lady Gower for life, then to sons with entail, or daughters. Yorkshire. and Derbyshire premises to daughter. Mary Wortley for life, then to sons with entail, or daughters. W. and Ha. premises to granddaughter Frances P. and heirs of body, on condition that if she inherits she releases £20,000 secured her by Act for settling Marquis of Dorchester's estates. In default then to daughters. Carolina and Anne and heirs of body. Acton and Arlington St. premises to ds. Carolina and Anne and heirs of body. Thoresby Hall and Park and premises in Sturton and Walkeringham to daughter Carolina for life, then to sons with entail, or daughters.; in default to Anne, her sons and daughters. likewise.

Holme Pierrepont Hall and lands to daughter Anne for life, then to sons with entail, or daughters.; in default to Carolina, her sons and daughters. likewise. All other Nottm. and Notts. premises to Carolina and Anne equally.

Li. premises to executors on trust for daughter Catherine, Lady Marr, for life, then to sons with entail, or daughters.; in default to go as Thoresby. This bequest on condition that she or heirs reside in England and are members of Church of England.

All premises may be leased except Thoresby, Holme Pierrepont and West Dean. All residue to grandson.

Wm., Lord Cheyne, Sir John Monson, and Thos. Bennett of Nottm., esq., executors; having £500 each. Wife guardian for life or widowhood, then executors.

Codicil: he paid £6455 8s. 9d. for Ratcliffe estate on behalf of grandson, and has had from it £3455 8s. 9d.; now estate to executors until remaining £3000 paid, then for grandson.