Hall Place is a GradeI listed building with the river Cray running
through its grounds. A manor house is recorded on the site of the present
day Hall Place estate dating back to 1241 when it was on the outer
edges of the village.
Today the estate is annexed from the Bexley village
due to the construction of the A2 Motorway, but a bridge gives direct
access to the site with adequate car parking facilities.
The house is where the boroughs Local Studies Centre was housed prior
to its moving to its present site in the Central Library in Bexleyheath.
The centre is visited by a wide variety of users mostly local people
studying local and family history, as there is a wealth of information
that can be accessed from the centre.
The house can be viewed by the public daily, the parts of the house
that open to the public including the Great Hall. It also contains the
Bexley Museum and several other rooms where a changing programme of
Exhibitions are held throughout the year that show the various aspecks
of local history and nature concerning the Borough. This includes the
showing of items and documents from the archives, also many items on
loan to the council.
Close by the house is sighted a very comprehensive visitors centre
open in the summer months for the sale of arts and crafts and with
displays of local history. It also acts as a tourist information
centre.
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The earlist part of the house dates back to 1540 when it was built by
Sir John Champneis a former Lord Mayor of London. Its possible that the
material for the original house stones came from an Abbey or Priory as
several in the area were torn down in Thomas Cromwell's dissolution of
religious buildings. The Champneis family resided at Hall Place with his son
inheriting the property and increasing the size of the stone built
section to it present day form. The family sold the property in 1649.
The new owner was Robert Austen, a London Merchant. He added to the
southern part of the house using brick instead of stone. Robert Austen
was made Sheriff of Kent in 1660. In 1772 Hall Place passed to
Sir Francis Dashwood the notorious rake and member of the Hellfire Club.
The Dashwoods owned the estate for the next 150 years, but seldon
lived there. Whilst the Dashwoods were not living at Hall Place it
was let out and used as a school for the next 70 years.
Maitland Dashwood returned to Hall Place about 1870, he restored the
building to lease out the property to a number of tenants, those included
Lord Churston the husband of Denise Orme a well known actress of the day.
In the early part of the century she appeared in Music Hall and as a
Gaiety girl. One of her best know songs was "No one ever marries me" in
actual fact she married three times!
The last of the tenants was Lady Limerick who resided at Hall Place from
1917 until her death in 1943, while in residence she established herself as a
leading figure in the area. She will always be remembered for her social
gatherings with invited guests including the future King George VI.
On her death the estate passed to the Bexley Borough.
After Lady Limericks death during W.W.II the house was used by the
US troops in connection with the top secret "Ultra" code-breaking project.
In 1957 the house was used as an annex for the local Technical School for
Girls. Later it was restored by Bexley Council to as you see it today.
As with most very old buildings there are legends regard ghosts and mysterious
happens and sightings. There is the ghost of a young woman seen wandering
about near the White Tower and wringing her hands at the death of her husband
that she witnessed from the White Tower whilst he was out hunting stag in the
grounds.
The Black Prince is rumoured courted his wife Joan, known as the
"Fair Maid of Kent" by the banks of the river Cray. There are tales after his
death that his spirit clad in his black armour haunted the house and if seen
foretold misforture to the owners.
Then there are stories of other ghosts, but no authentic sightings, only rumours
and folklore. When the timber floors start to creak with the changes in temperature,
and with a little imagination, perhaps?
Dick Turpin the highwayman was also know to have been carrying out his business
in th area. Legend has it that he once jumped over the iron gates at the entrance
to Hall Place on Black Bess, the only flaw in the story is the gates are 16 feet
high, a mighty jump even for Black Bess.
The grounds are of special interest including various types of gardens
including an enclosed garden, herb and blind garden, sunken and a rose
garden. The most popular and unique, is the topary installed initally by
Lady Limerick.
To celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II further
trees were planted and shaped into the Queen's beasts depicted by the
mythical and heraldic figures, like the Lion of England and the
Griffin of Edward III and chess pieces.
The river Cray winds through the estate eventually joining the Thames
at Dartford. The river is a popular spot for children, the odd angler and
birdwatches. The common birds can be seen, and also tawny owls, kingfishers
and herons that pay the occasional visit.
I should like to acknowledge the help and assistance of The Boroughs
Local Studies Centre now sited at the Central Library in Bexleyheath Kent.
This entailed the use of extracts from their various published books and photographs.
They were mostly used for the Bexley and Hall Place web pages.
All the books used for research in the above web pages can be obtained
from the Local Studies Centre, Central Library, Townley Road, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 7HJ
