The history of Wargrave Hall
IN September, the Wargrave Local History Society resumed its programme of meetings with The Hidden History of Wargrave Hall.
Terry Grourk revealed the results of his research into the house in a presentation made using Zoom.
Wargrave Hall is situated opposite Wargrave Hill, next to the house Barrymore, with lawns down to the water’s edge, offering magnificent views of the River Thames.
The house was built about 1770, for John Matthews of Binfield. Little is known about him, except that he had three children, Sarah, Mary and Richard.
The girls both married professional men – Sarah in 1771 to Joseph Hill, a wealthy solicitor, whilst Mary’s wedding to the Revd John Tickell took place in 1773.
The Revd Tickell became the tutor to Lord Barrymore, before the latter went to Eton.
When Richard Barrymore returned to Wargrave in 1787, he lived at the house next door – a notorious character, a bare-chested pugilist known as ‘Hellgate’, who also established a theatre in the village that was patronised by high society.
As a spendthrift, however, he was in serious debt when he died prematurely at the age of 23.
John Matthews died in 1778, and the house then passed down through the family to his granddaughter, Sarah, (who lived at Binfield and rented Wargrave Hall to Revd Albert Mangles) and then to Sarah’s sister.
It was then sold in 1849 to Ebenezer FullerMaitland. Several generations of the family then owned it, sometimes letting it to tenants rather than living there. By 1906 when the property was sold again, several other pieces of land had been added to the grounds, and the house itself extended. The purchaser was Edward Goulding, a lawyer and MP. He used it as a place where influential people, including leading members of the Government could meet. Home Rule for Ireland was a major topic at that time, as was the threat of war with Germany.
A meeting at Wargrave Hall in 1914 secured agreement from the Ulster Unionists that they would not fight the Nationalists (who had been supplied with guns by the Germans) if war was declared – a similar agreement having been made elsewhere with the Republicans that they would support the British.
Having secured the agreement at Wargrave, war was declared on Germany within 24 hours. After the war, another meeting at Wargrave Hall further considered Home Rule, and led to agreement to establish an Irish Free State.
The Wargrave Hall visitor’s book includes Winston Churchill, Andrew Bonar Law (shortly before he became Prime Minister), Lords Birkenhead and Beaverbrook, among others.
Edward Goulding subsequently became Lord Wargrave, but sold the house in 1926 to a Mrs Felton-Peel, and after she died in 1930, the property remained empty until sold in 1933 to Major Fryer. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Morris Dancing, and both the ballroom and the extensive lawns were used for displays.
During the Second World War, the house was used to billet US Air Force officers, so Major Fryer had to move out for a while. The house was rather large for him – even though the Victorian wing was occupied by the servant family then, so he occupied the ground floor, and the upper floors were made into two apartments. After Major Fryer died, the house was sold again, to Mrs Coveney, and the property further divided to make five apartments, which are managed by Wargrave Hall Ltd – set up by the residents in June 1964 – which is how it is now.
Terry plans to make the results of his research available as a booklet, containing more details than can be included here, hopefully later this year.
▪ The Society’s planned programme is at www.wargravehistory.org.uk/ - where the latest information can be found, or email info@wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details.