Hertford Club Site, Hertfordshire

Again, the weather forecast did not disappoint. Not only did the upholstery have an opportunity to completely dry out, we had a glorious day to enjoy an outing to Hatfield House, just eight and a bit miles to the west of our camping spot.

Like Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Hatfield House is still in private ownership, albeit a Trust to avoid the financial problems inheritance brings. Today it is the home of the 7^th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family, the Cecil family who have been in residence for four hundred years.

The Old Palace, the first significant structure on the site, was built in about 1485 by the Bishop of Ely, John Morton, and is one of the foremost examples of medieval brickwork in the country and originally formed part of a quadrangle around a central courtyard.

Henry VIII acquired the Palace from the Bishop in 1538 and used it as a nursery for his three children, Edward, Mary and Elizabeth, all of whom came to the throne after his death, one after another. It was here in 1558 that young Elizabeth learned of her sister’s death and her own accession and here that the very first Council of State was held. 

After her death, when King James I came to the throne, he decided he did not like the Palace at all, and in 1607 suggested a swap with Robert Cecil, 1^st Earl of Salisbury, for Theobalds, the Cecil family home. So Robert Cecil came to own the property here at Hatfield’s almost under duress.

Robert’s father, Lord Burghley, had been Elizabeth I’s chief minister, and Robert followed him into the role. He was therefore not without resources and decided that he wanted a more suitable home; he demolished three quarters of the original building. For the next three centuries, the remains were used as stables and it was only in 1915 that the 4^th Marquess restored the building; today it is popular as a wedding venue for hire.  

Hatfield House was completed a little after Robert Cecil’s death in 1612 but his descendants saw that it was finished in style, fit for royal visits; it boasts superb examples of Jacobean craftsmanship, decorations of fine tapestries, rare stained glass windows, gloriously fashioned ceilings and so much more.

The Cecil descendants did well for themselves, filling important political positions through the centuries. Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3^rd Marquess of Salisbury, was three times prime minister during the reign of Queen Victoria.  The current Marquess has made a point of collecting artworks to add to and complement those already collected through the centuries.

The gardens covering forty two acres and dating from the early 17^th century, were laid out by John Tradescant the Elder. They did fall into a period of neglect in the 18^th century, but restoration began in Victorian times and continues today.

Of course maintenance of the entire property goes on all about, with the property open six days a week through the summer months. During the First World War, the grounds were used to test the first British tanks, but today they are host to those who wish to venture beyond the parts of the house open to the public.

We arrived at 10am, and spent almost two hours walking about the woods, the contour of the land more challenging that I had expected. We wandered along the bank of the 16 acre Broadwater, that part of the River Lea dammed to power the now redundant water mill.  In 1881 the mill wheel was adapted to drive dynamos for Hatfield House, one of the first houses in the country to have electric lights.

After lunch we toured the House, taking advantage of the audio tour, an extra £6 on top of the £36 entry cost for two AOPs. We were impressed with the decorations, the history and the room guides who offered even more information to absorb, and after a couple of hours indoors, we emerged into the warm sunshine and wandered about the more formal gardens, mostly situated between the House and the Old Palace.

We were not however impressed by the very modern sculpture situated right in front of the entry way, an installation titled “Renaissance” by Angela Conner. I was reminded of the incongruity of the garish porcelain artworks by American Jeff Kroons at Versailles when I visited in 2008.

Chris reckoned this House was superior to Chatsworth, I will not venture a comparison; I have enjoyed both.  It is interesting, although hardly surprising, that the owners of these properties are related; the nobility are a close knit set.

Back at camp we found that the hordes had started to arrive, and our little spot on the expansive grassed area, is now surrounded by tenting families. Chris is concerned they might be noisy; I suggested we might be the more disruptive with our later then early television viewing.