Reference
Z449/1/27
Title
Sale particulars of Campton Manor, Rectory Road
Date free text
Oct 2000
Production date
From: 1536 To: 2000
Scope and Content
Sale particulars of Campton Manor, Rectory Road
- agents: Compass Executive Homes of Compass House, 8-16 Bromham Road, Bedford;
- description: "After the dissolution of the Priory [Chicksands] in 1536 the Campton Manor belonging to it passed into the King's hands. He leased it to Sir Thomas Palmer who was executed for treason by Queen Elizabeth in 1560 and his property confiscated. The Queen granted the manor to John Ventris. The Ventris family built the manor house 1591 partially on the foundations of an older building. Although added to and much altered, the manor house can be seen and admired to this day. In 1645 Sir Charles Ventris and his family were living in the house. Sir Charles was a Knight Banneret for he had been knighted on the field of battle for bravery during the Civil War between King Charles' armies and the Roundheads. Knowing the occupant of the Manor House to be an ardent Royalist a small armed band of Roundheads came to Campton, crept up to the House, peeped through the leaded windows and saw Sir Charles in the main downstairs room. One of the band drew his firearm and fired. Fortunately his aim was poor and he missed and the shots were embedded in the oak panelling. The damaged panel, now covered with glass, is still to be seen in the Drawing Room. The reason for this attack remains somewhat of a mystery. There was no fighting in the district during the Civil War. It was possibly local rivals using the Civil War as an excuse to settle old scores and jealousies. After this incident the manor continued in the possession of the Ventris family for almost a century. In 1743, there being no male heir, the manor passed to Henrietta Ventris who became the bride of John Field. On his marriage, he changed his name to Ventris Field. His son, Sir Charles Ventris Field, sold the manor house and land to Sir George Osborn, Bart., who has been in possession of Chicksands manor since 1578 [sic!]. The house was then used as the dowager house for the widowed mother of a new Lord of the manor of Chicksands. Towards the end of the eighteenth century the building became a private boarding school for boys. This explains the existence of a bell tower on the building. The following advertisement appears in the local newspaper. Campton Academy Conducted by The Rev.Thomas Wilkinson and qualified Assistants. He begs leave to acquaint the Public that the School will open on Monday 21 July 1800. Terms 22 Guineas a year. Later the School closed down and members of the Osborn family again came to live here and the last Osborn occupant left in 1910. The house was then leased to other tenants and the last being Mr.Chapman, a London businessman who came to live here in 1925. Several Camptonians who knew Mr.Chapman hold him in high regard. His office was in London but most of his dealings were done over the telephone. Quite frequently he was chauffeur driven to the City in his Rolls Royce. He died suddenly just after the outbreak of the Second World War. As a widow Mrs.Chapman continued to live at the Manor and play a leading part in village life. In her later years she became bedridden and died in 1965. In 1967 Mr.Gerald King brought the house less the land on either side of it. This land was sold for building and is now Elm Close and Grange Gardens. Mr.King is an architect and carried out extensive and thoughtful restoration work both inside and outside. These gave the building added beauty and charm. Its outstanding feature is the extensive late Elizabethan front with its timber framing painted black and set off with white plaster infilling. In 1979 Mr.King sold the Manor to Mr.Fairweather who has continued to keep the buildings and its grounds in excellent order. Occasionally, he and his wife hold fund raising events at the house "Save the Children" and "the Church Restoration Appeal Committee" have recently been beneficiaries of such events. When held during daytime, these occasions give visitors an opportunity of seeing not only the interior of the building but also the fine brickwork at the rear and the well kept gardens";
- layout: ground floor: entrance porch; entrance vestibule; reception hall (25 feet 5 inches by 17 feet 4 inches); drawing room (27 feet 2 inches by 16 feet 8 inches); family room (16 feet 4 inches by 10 feet 7 inches); sun lounge (16 feet 3 inches by 11 feet 6 inches); feature archway through to inner hallway; cloakroom; games room/study (17 feet by 12 feet 1 inches); dining room (18 feet 9 inches by 16 feet 6 inches); old kitchen (18 feet 5 inches by 9 feet 9 inches); utility room (11 feet 3 inches by 8 feet 10 inches); L-shaped kitchen/breakfast room (22 feet 4 inches by 17 feet 4 inches); annexe with entrance hall and kitchen, lounge/diner, bedroom and bathroom;
- layout: first floor: galleried landing; three en-suite bedrooms; bedroom; nursery/bedroom; minster gallery;
- layout: second floor: attic;
- layout: outside: side garden; 3.5 acres of grounds; rear garden; orchard; sun terrace; double garage;
- photographs [colour]: exterior rear; treelined approach; exterior front; reception hall; drawing room; dining room; galleried landing; rear garden; aerial view of rear;
- site location maps;
- site layout plan;
- no floor plans;
- £1,000,000
Level of description
item