VISIT TO COPPED HALL AND HURST HOUSE, ESSEX
Saturday 7 June
The Copped Hall estate is a unique but little known survival just beyond the M25. Society members John Barber and John Nolan live on the estate and have arranged a special visit for us, including lunch. We will also make a private visit to Hurst House, described by Pevsner as “the best house in Woodford”, and enjoy afternoon tea at the medieval All Saints Church, in the surprisingly rural Epping Upland.
Recorded history at Copped Hall starts in the 12th century when there was already a substantial building on the site belonging to the Fitzaucher family who served the King as huntsmen. After changing hands several times the estate was sold to Edward Conyers whose son, John, demolished the original mansion in 1748 and had plans for a Palladian mansion drawn up by his architect - John Sanderson. In 1775 John Conyers died and his son, John, commissioned the architect James Wyatt to make internal changes to the mansion. During the first part of the 19th century Copped Hall was little altered and the estate was sold to George Wythes in 1869. During World War I the main eighteenth century block of Copped Hall was largely burnt-out in a disastrous fire and the family moved to a lesser house on the estate, never to return.
The estate was sold in 1952 and at that time anything of value that could be stripped from the house and gardens was sold. After the M25 was routed through part of the estate, it became very attractive to property developers and after many battles against development the parkland was saved by the Corporation of London in 1992 and the specially formed Copped Hall Trust saved the mansion and gardens by purchasing them in 1995. Internally, the mansion is to be restored to its 1750s’ form. To date some roof and floor structures have been reinstated and essential structural repairs carried out, but this is very much a restoration project in progress. Alan Cox, co-founder of the Copped Hall Trust and its architect, will give us a guided tour of this fascinating house and of the gardens, which should be at their best.
Hurst House is the best of a number of good Georgian houses built by wealthy Londoners in Woodford, then a village on the edge of Epping Forest, today surrounded by the ever encroaching London suburbs. The house was built in 1714 for East End brewer Henry Raine. After fire damage in 1933 it was restored to its original design and even improved, with many of the furnishings salvaged from country houses such as the marble fireplace in the dining room which came from South Weald Hall, bookcases from Bowood, Wiltshire and the plasterwork in the drawing room from Ashburnham Place, Sussex.
Our visit will end with afternoon tea at the 13th century All Saints, Epping Upland.
Our visit costs £60 per person and includes return coach from Central London, morning coffee and tour of Hurst House, pub lunch, guided tour of Copped Hall and walled gardens and afternoon tea. If you would like to attend, please complete the attached application form and return it to Colm Owens, Apartment 50, Kilner House, Clayton Street, London SE11 5SE with a cheque and email address or SAE. Full details will be sent to those attending closer to the date.
VISIT TO COPPED HALL AND HURST HOUSE, ESSEX
Saturday 7 June
Please reserve place(s) at £60 each.
Name of member(s):
Name of guest(s):
Email/Telephone No.
I enclose a cheque payable to the IGS London Chapter Ltd. for £
Please return with your cheque and an email address or SAE to Colm Owens,
Apartment 50, Kilner House, Clayton Street, London SE11 5SE.