Southwick Hall
SOUTHWICK HALL
WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY 2023
We started our day together by meeting at the Pickled Shop situated in the picturesque village of Bulwick to enjoy some lunch before our tour of Southwick Hall.
The tiny village of Southwick is tucked away at the edge of Rockingham Forest with a historic church and out of the ordinary beautiful manor house, Southwick Hall.
The manor encompasses two medieval towers, an Elizabethan Hall, Georgian additions, as well as a Victorian wing, stable block and home farm, where evacuees, Land girls and even prisoners of War worked during the war.
The present owner, Christopher Capron, was Head of the BBC Television’s Current Affairs programmes.
Before we had our tour, we had a look around the historic church next to the Hall. The church houses a sculpture by Roubilliac, the famous sculptor which cost £500 in 1762.
We were greeted by our tour guide, Fabio, who gave us a very entertaining, friendly tour of Southwick Hall which teems with history, stories and characters stretching back over 700 years. The first family to live there were the Knyvetts, one of whom John, became the Lord Chancellor for Edward the 3rd.
The Lynne family took over the estate in the 15th century until the death of Augusta, the last heiress in 1827 aged 15. Their ownership spanned over 400 years.
Fabio told us of how George Lynn had been closely involved with the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots at nearby Fotheringhay castle in 1587. In fact, the execution warrant signed by Elizabeth the 1st has never been found. As the local MP and a friend of Lord Burghley, George Lynne is understood to have taken charge of the Warrant and walled it in at Southwick, away from prying eyes.
The Capron family have owned the Hall from Victorian times to the present day bringing more characters to Southwick. John Smith, the local brewer, Land Army girls during the war, plus Roderick Capron.
We ended our very interesting tour back in the study seated around a large circular table having tea and biscuits with Fabio continuing to tell us more stories including the tragic story of Roderick Capron who was based at RAF Bottesford, and how he lost his life on just his third mission over Germany. He is still very much remembered today with an exhibition in the study.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Southwick, our thanks to Fabio.
Avril