Stanwick Hall, Northamptonshire
Stanwick Hall is a largely Georgian grade II* listed building located in the western end of the village of Stanwick in North Northamptonshire. History. The house was originally constructed in the C17, possibly earlier. Evidence of this original building is scant but survives: The Hall as it appears today was built in 1742-1743 for James Lambe (d.1761) by William Smith (1705-1747) at a cost of £750 (about £150,000 in modern terms.) William Smith was an acclaimed Architect and Builder and was the son of Francis Smith of Warwick. William Smith was involved as  architect, builder or mason in many major projects, including the Radcliffe Camera, Catton Hall, Kirtlington Park, Thame Park and Stoneleigh Abbey, on which he worked with his father. Stoneleigh Abbey was immortalized by Jane Austen in her novel Mansfield Park, in which Stoneleigh Abbey becomes Sotherton Court. After the death of James Lambe, his son advertised Stanwick Hall for sale on several occasions. The sale notice showed Stanwick Hall (a modern, stone-built capital mansion), a coach house, two dove houses, two barns, three 3-stall stables, two other stables with convenient outbuildings, a dog kennel and boiling house with  constant running water. It included 30 acres of rich pasture in three closes (Nether Close, Dove House Close and Upper Close, called the Cherry Orchard). There were 15 acres at Stanwick Pastures, to the east of the village and a further 97 acres of arable, ley and pasture ground in the open fields around the village. At the time of its reconstruction, Stanwick Hall was adjacent to what was then the main road into Stanwick from the west, which ran between the main house and outbuildings to the immediate north of the house. In 1931, there was a major fire  that started in one of the lower rooms. The owners escaped and no one was killed but the building was gutted. The building was placed on the English Heritage "At Risk" Register, with fungus growing on damp walls, roof tiles broken and roof timbers in danger of collapsing at any moment. The building was purchased in 2007. A major restoration project started by the new owners was the subject of a BBC "Restoration Home" programme in 2011. Occupants. Known occupants of Stanwick Hall include: