Digswell House is a Grade II listed Mansion in

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

, erected c. 1805–07 by

Samuel Wyatt Samuel Wyatt (8 September 1737 – 8 February 1807) was an English architect and engineer. A member of the Wyatt family, which included several notable 18th- and 19th-century English architects, his work was primarily in a neoclassical style. C ...

for the Honourable Edward Spencer Cowper, who lived there for some years. It was built in the parish of Digswell from which it takes its name, but was transferred to

Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second Garden city movement, garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first New towns in the United Kingdom, new towns (designated 1948). It is ...

in 1921. The house is now in the Knightsfield area of

.Richard J Busby 'The Book of Welwyn' Barracuda Books Third Edition 1983 The current house was erected a little eastward of the site on which its predecessor had stood and was built as a commodious country gentleman's home, in an architectural style that can best be described as neoclassical. A portico, with four massive Ionic columns, on the south front is its most impressive external feature.

History

Before 1785

An old manor house west of the present-day Digswell House was built by Sir John Peryent in the early 15th century. The old manor house was subsequently inhabited by the families of Peryent, Horsey, Sedley and Shallcross.

Capability Brown Lancelot "Capability" Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783) was an English gardener and landscape architect, a notable figure in the history of the English landscape garden style. Unlike other architects ...

created some of the landscape work at Digswell between 1771 and 1773.

1785-1850

The medieval manor house was purchased in 1785 by

George Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper George Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper (1738 – 22 December 1789) was an English peer who went on the Grand Tour as a young man, but actually emigrated. Despite becoming a member of parliament and later inheriting lands and the title ...

and as it was in poor condition was then demolished in 1805 to make way for new mansion.

1850s

The house was occupied by Henry Pearse Esquire a West India Merchant with his wife Mary and daughters Mary Louisa, Julia Charlotte, Alice Jane and sons Cosmo Brice and Ernest Charles and a full house of staff are shown in the 1851 census. He also resided at No. 8, Finsbury-place South, in the city of London. He was later declared bankrupt on 17 June 1854.

1880s

The house was owned by Phoebe Tatham the wife of William Smith Brown. Phoebe Tatham had inherited wealth from Duncan Dunbar following his death when still a bachelor in 1862. Dunbar had been one of the largest shipping magnates in the Commonwealth having built up the Dunbar Line of trading and convict ships. Phoebe was his niece, the elder daughter of Dunbar's sister Justina and her husband, Poplar surgeon Christopher Tatham. William and Phoebe had eight children. Phoebe died at Digswell 23 February 1891 and William died 31 December 1891 at Portsea Island.

1914-1918

At this time the house was owned by the Aclands who gave over its use during the first World War Digswell House served as the Number 5 Australian Auxiliary Hospital and nursing home for wounded Australian Soldiers though Belgian and British Soldiers also stayed there. It was staffed by the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

from local families. The grounds of Digswell house provided a centre for sports for those soldiers who could compete as can be seen in photographs from this period. A letter published in 1917 sums up the situation at the time. ''The Hon. Mrs. Acland, owner of Digswell House, has generously given up her home to convalescent Australians, the house accommodating about 25 officers. Her husband, Colonel Acland, is at the front, also her only son, Lieut. Acland, with the Grenadier Guards. Her eldest daughter is also nursing in France. Truly a patriotic family! The grounds are very extensive, and include a small lake: Plenty of shooting is available for those able to get about. A batch of Australian officers will be leaving Digswell House next week for Australia, two of whom (shot through the stomach) have some way yet to go for recovery. ''

1918-1939

After the war, the house was then purchased by

Sir Ebenezer Howard Sir Ebenezer Howard (29 January 1850 – 1 May 1928) was an English urban planner and founder of the garden city movement, known for his publication '' To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform'' (1898), the description of a utopian city in wh ...

in 1919. From 1928 to 1939 it functioned as a conference centre with good connections to London through local railway transport. Notable guests have included

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for h ...

Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century ...

and

Hugh Gaitskell Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell (9 April 1906 – 18 January 1963) was a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1955 until ...

and other leading politicians and intellectuals of the time. The Trades Union Congress held a weekend school for women in 1935.

1945-1959

After the second World War Digswell House served as a boarding house and a place of retreat. Between 1955 and 1957 Digswell House was the Boarding House for Sherrardswood School.

After 1959

Notable visitors include

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental Bronze sculpture, bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. Moore ...

who was one of the inspiring figures in the creation of the trust. It remained a retreat for artists until 1985 when Digswell House was sold and turned into a collection of private dwellings. The Digswell Arts Trust continues to this day but has moved to another site.

Notable residents

The Old Manor House

* Sir John Peryent * Thomas Shallcross an ardent royalist famed for having alerted Queen Anne to anti-royalist plots.

The Current House

* Hon. Edward Spencer 1806 * Sir John Mansfield son of Right Honourable James Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice of the Pleas 1804–1814 * Sir John Norton * Thomas Powney Marten, of Marshal's Wick, Sandridge, Esq. * William Smith Brown, Esq * Sir Alfred Reynolds JP, Chairman of Welwyn Bench and Herts Quarter Sessions 1910–11 * Col Alfred Dyke Acland CBE resided until 1925

References

;Notes ;Sources * Richard J Busby. The Book of Welwyn. Barracuda Books Limited. Third Edition. 1983 * * * *

External links

Digswell House Residents Association
{{coord, 51.8187, -0.2061, display=title Buildings and structures in Welwyn Hatfield (district) Houses in Hertfordshire Grade II listed buildings in Hertfordshire Grade II listed houses 1807 establishments in England