Upton Hall

Upton Hall is the headquarters of the British Horological Institute (BHI) in Upton, Newark and Sherwood, Nottinghamshire, England. It has been the headquarters since 1972. It also houses the Museum of Timekeeping consisting of a substantial collection of clocks, watches and also a library. The Museum is open to the public during seasonal summer opening hours, for special events and for pre-booked Group tours.

Upton Hall
General information
Architectural styleGreek Revival style
Coordinates53.082672°N 0.904158°W / 53.082672; -0.904158
Construction started1828
Completed1832
Opened1832
Renovated1895
ClientThomas Wright (1773-1845)
Design and construction
ArchitectW J Donthome
DesignationsGrade II* listed building
This article is about the headquarters of the BHI. For other uses, see Upton Hall (disambiguation).

History

The Hall was built in 1828 by Thomas Wright (1773-1845) a banker of Nottinghamshire. It was designed by the architect W J Donthome.[1]

The hall was purchased in 1895 by John Warwick, a brewer of the firm 'Warwick & Richardson' based in Newark. He used it as a family home. He added a Ballroom, a Billiards Room, and a further six bedrooms. In 1936 the property was bought by Sir Albert Ball, though he never took up residence there.

In 1952 the hall was declared a listed building. It is now a grade II* listed building,[2] making it one of the most treasured 5% of all buildings in the UK.

The property is listed by Historic England as a '[3]Heritage at Risk'. Roof coverings are in fair condition but rainwater disposal is poor, with corresponding internal dampness and signs of active dry rot. The adjacent stables and courtyard structures contribute to the setting of the hall and are now in very poor condition and all at significant risk of loss.

The building was purchased by the BHI in 1972, where its headquarters have been ever since.

Owners
  • Thomas and Frances Wright 1828 - 1845
  • Revd. Joseph Banks Wright and Sophia Wright 1845
  • Philip Richard Falkner and Alicia Falkner 1857 - 1888
  • Mary Frances Falkner 1888 - 1894
  • John Francis Warwick and Eliza Gertrude Warwick 1895 - 1935
  • Sir Albert Ball 1936 - 1939
  • Holy Ghost Fathers (Roman Catholic College) 1939 - 1972
  • British Horological Institute 1972 - current

See also

References
  1. Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth. The Buildings of England. Nottinghamshire. Yale University Press. p. 361. ISBN 9780300096361.
  2. Historic England. "UPTON HALL (1179760)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  3. https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/search-register/list-entry/166641
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