Beaupre Hall

Beaupré Hall was a large 16th century house mainly of brick, which was built by the Beaupres in Outwell, Norfolk, England and enlarged by their successors the Bells. gbmapping|TF513045 - shown on this GBvosi|e=551383|n=304546|cty=|txt=map from circa 1890.

History of the Hall

The history of Hall begins with its family origins, a Norman from St. Omer who dwelled and "christened his domain with gallic grace, among the dull-sounding names of the danes." ² "The knight of St. Omer appears in the Roll of Battle Abbey, and his descendants lived here in their place of Beaupre." ²

Several other St. Omer's of note are Sir Hugh de St. Omer and John de St. Omer, who according to Matthew Paris, were known to have 'penned a counterblast' to a monk of Peterborough who had lampooned the people of Norfolk during the reign of King John; of which elevated them to literary fame.

A Sir Thomas de St. Omer was keeper of the wardrobe to King Henry III. The Arms of his son a ("fess between six cross-crosslets") appear on a monument, formerly in Mulbarton Church. His daughter Christian and only heir married John, the great-great-grandson of one Senulph, (whose ancestors had migrated from France) who lived during the reign of King Henry II, and had issue: John "dicte quoque Beaupré " who lived during the reign of King Edward II, and married Katherine, daughter of Osbert Mountfort. Their son Thomas Beaupré would be raised by his Grandmother Christian (last of the St. Omer's) after the death of both of his parents. Thomas was knighted by King Edward III, and married Joan Holbeache, and died during the reign of King Richard II. ² Generations later the Hall was in possession of Edmonde Beaupre. After Edmonde's death in 1567, and leaving no male heirs, the hall succeeded to Sir Robert Bell, by virtue of marriage to Edmonde's daughter Dorothie in 1559; whereby his line became extinct.

Construction and architecture

Phase I (1500-1530) During the lives of Nicholas Beaupre and his wife Christian Foderinghey, construction of the Hall commenced from from the South-West end, and stretched North-East, with an additional wing branching out North-West, at an angle to make a chapel. These structures date from the early 16th century and had corners that were fortified with semi-Gothic spirelets, that were also added to later additions throughout the years. Phase II (1531-1570) A turreted Gate House was added circa., 1530, and placed in front of the entry facing South-East. This structure was built upon an old model, probably, by Edmonde Beaupre during the time of his marriage with Margaret the daughter of Sir John Wiseman, servant to the 15th Earl of Oxford. His second wife, Katherine Wynter (widow of John Wynter of Great Yarmouth*) was the daughter of Phillip Bedingfield of Ditchingham and Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk (a great Hall that resembles Beaupre, however is slightly older and larger in scale).

Phase III (1571-1577) After Edmonde Beaupre's death in 1567, significant renovations and additions were undertaken by Bell, which included:

Demolishing and rebuilding the body of East wing of the old house. (where the living quarters were located)

Refitting the North-East section with porches on each side which had upper levels, and bay's in front. From this section a large wing was added spanning South East (demolished circa 1850), and a small wall was built connecting the wing to the North-East section of the Gate House, which effectively enclosed the area to make a court yard.

The Gate House was rebuilt upon the old structure. The entry had four centered arches connected to four towers comprised mostly of brick with stone dressings and upper caps made of ashlar. The second floor of the Gate House was lit by square headed windows decorated with stone mullions and transom, and was fitted with a fine Elizabethan fireplace, which had a marble frame and accompanying wood mantle piece. The mantle piece enclosed the fireplace from the floor to the ceiling and had early Jacobean architecture style paneling with a pair of trimmed arches that were encased and separated by ornate columns, directly above the center of the marble arch frame. Each trimmed arch panel displayed a heraldic relief carving: The first carving appeared on the left or North-West side of the mantle piece and featured the Arms borne by Bell. A Jacobean style pillar, separated this coat and arch from the other where appeared the quartered and impaled Arms of Beaupre: From the sinister top appear the quarteres of Edmonde Beaupre/St. Omer-Foderinghey/ and Baulney Bottom: Dorewood-Coggeshall-and Harske.

Around 1570, the South west end of the Gate House, was fitted with a new building that connected a Gated section of wall to the south-west wing, making another court yard. This wing spanned north-west to the main block, and from the main block extended the chapel which had an altar piece in the far North-West end.

Phase IV (1577-1935) Aside from several rooms on the first floor and the main door which had 16th century linenfold paneling, the Hall was variously altered internally by its successors (some negligent) from the 16th century. These alterations included a 17th century fire place, Georgian Wainscoting, and other 18th century paneling. Despite further unfortunate alterations to the back of the Hall during the 19th century, by the early 20th century the Hall was not inhabited and what was left of the building was mostly a ruin. ^{1, 2, 3}

Final Years

During World War II, Beaupré Hall was used by the RAF. From this point the Hall fell into a state of further disrepair until its saddening demolition in 1966.

Heraldry and descendants

The Matrimonial landmarks of the family history of the hall are recorded in beautiful heraldic glass panels that date from 1570. The Beaupré panels are slightly larger and older than the Bell panels, throughout the mantling is particularly fine.

Several coats were reconstructed after suffering damage and fragments of one particular style of mantling have been incorporated within the various reconstructed Arms. Several coats are repeated in the Quartering (heraldry)
quarterings of the various panels.

The following coats occur and have been blazoned accordingly:

#The Arms of Thomas Beaupré ("Argent on a Bend Azure three cross crosslets Or")-quartering St. Omer ("a fess between three cross crosslets") impaling the Arms of his wife Margaret daughter of John Meeres "d." 1471 ("a fess between three water bougets erminy").
#Beaupré-quartering St. Omer- impaling -Fodryngaye, ("Sable a cross indented Argent"), and Baulney ("argent an eagle displayed azure membered Or") and Dorewod of Dorewoods Hall, Bocking, Essex- ("Erminy on a chevron Sable three cresents Or") -and Harske ("Or a Chief indented sable").
#Beaupré-"Argent" on a "Bend" "Azure" "three cross crosslets" "Or" quartering St. Omer ("a fess between three cross crosslets)" impaling Mountford of Feltwell ("argent three" "fleurs-de-lis" "gules").
#Beaupré-quartering St. Omer quartering Fodryngaye.
#Beaupré-quartering St. Omer impaling Fodryngaye.
#Thomas Fodryngaye, ("Sable a cross indented Argent").
#Sir William Coggeshall, High Sheriff of Essex, ("Sable a cross between four escallops") married Antiocha Hawkwood, daughter of Sir John Hawkwood.
#Fodryngaye.
#Bell, ("Sable a Fess Ermine between three church Bells Argent").
#Sir Robert Bell.
#Bell impaling Harrington,("Sable a fret Argent").
#Beaupré quartering Fodryngaye.
#Bell quartering Beaupré.
#Beaupré impaling Fodryngaye. ²

Descendants:Through the marriage of Sir Robert Bell and Dorothie Beaupré :
# " The Earl of Buckinghamshire, through the marriage of Dorothy the second daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Bell, with Sir Henry Hobart, the male lineal ancestor of the Earls of Buckinghamshire;'and the family of former president George H. W. Bush.'
# The Earl of Sandwich, through the marriage of Henrietta, daughter of the second Earl of Buckinghamshire, with her husband, the first Earl of Belmore, and the marriage of their daughter, Louisa, with the sixth Earl of Sandwich.
# The Marquis of Lothian, through the marriage of Henrietta, above named, with her second husband, the sixth Marquis of Lothian.
# Lord Clinton, through the marriage of Georgianna, daughter of the sixth Marquios of Lothian, with the nineteenth Lord Clinton.
# The Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, through the marriage of Sophia, daughter of the second Earl of Buckinghamshire, with the second Earl of Mount Edgecoumbe.
# The Marquis of Ripon, through the marriage of Sarah Albinia Louisa, daughter of the fourth Earl of Buckinghamshire, with the first Marquis of Ripon.
# The Earl of Egmont, through the marriage of Frances the third daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Dorothie Bell, with Sir Anthony Dering, and the marriage of their great Granddaughter, Catherine Dering with Sir John Perceval, Bart, the father of the first Earl of Egmont.
# The Earl of Mount Cashell, through the marriage of Helena, daughter of the first Earl of Egmont, with the Earl of Moria, and the marriage of their daughter, Helena, With the first Earl of Mount Cashell.
# Lord Brabourne, through the marriage of Mary Dering, Great Granddaughter of Sir Anthony Dering, Before named, with Sir Thomas Knatchbull, Bart, lineal male ancestor of Lord Brabourne.
# Earl Sondes, through the marriage of Eleanor, sister of Lord Brabourne, with the fourth Earl Sondes.
# The Countess of Courtown, daughter of the fourth Earl Sondes.
# Lord de Ramsey, through the marriage of Mary Julia, daughter of the fourth Earl Sondes with the first Lord de Ramsey.
# The Earl of Winchilsea, through the marriage of Frances, daughter of Sir Edmonde Bell, and Granddaughter of Sir Robert and Lady Dorothie Bell, with Sir Heneage Finch (Speaker of the House of Commons), lineal male ancestor of the Earls of Winchilsea; 'and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.'
#The Duke of Rutland, through the marriage of Charlotte, daughter of the second Earl of Nottingham, Grandson of Sir Heneage and Lady Frances Finch, with the sixth Duke of Somerset, and the marriage of their daughter, Frances, with the father of the fourth Duke of Rutland.
# Lord Forester, through the marriage of Katherine, daughter of the first Duke of Rutland, with the first Lord Forester.
# Lady Culvile of Coleross, through the marriage of her mother, Elizabeth Katherine, daughter of the first Lord Forester, with the second Lord Carrington.
# The Earl of Londesborough, through the daughter of Cecil, daughter of the first Lord Forester, with the first Earl of Londesborough.
# The Countess of Bradford, sister of the first Countess of Londesborough.
# The Marquis of Bristol, through the marriage of Katherine Isabella, daughter of the fifth Duke of Rutland, with the second Marquis of Bristol.
# The Countess of Clancarty, sister of the third Marquis of Bristol.
# The Earl of Aylesford, from Heneage first Earl of Aylseford, grandson of Sir Heneage Finch, the younger brother of the second Earl of Nottingham.
# The Earl of Dartmouth, through the marriage of Anne, daughter of the first Earl of Aylesford, with the first Earl of Dartmouth.
# Lord Sherborne, through the marriage of Mary, daughter of the second Lord Stawell, and Great- Granddaughter of the first Earl of Dartmouth, with the second Lord Sherborne.
# The Earl of Feversham, through the marriage of Charlotte, daughter of the second Earl of Dartmouth, with the first Earl or Feversham.
# The Earl of Eldon, through the marriage of Louisa, daughter of the first Earl of Feversham, with the second Earl of Eldon.
# The Earl of Ducie, through the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of the third Earl of Dartmouth, with the Earl of Ducie.
# Lord Bagot, through the marriage of Louisa, daughter of the third Earl of Dartmouth, with the second Lord Bagot." ⁴

Sources

# "A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume IV" [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=21919]
# Hussey, C.," Beaupre Hall Wisbech, Coventry Homes and Gardens Old & New", pb. Country Life, 1923
# Bell, R. R.L., "Tudor Bell's Sound Out," pb., 2006. p. 175-6-7
# Josselyn, J. H., "Sir John Hawkwood, the Condottiere, some of his lineal descendants," Notes and Queries, 7th series, Vol. X, London, 1890, p. 101-102 (Incorporated text)
#Worsley, G., "England's Lost Houses", Aurum Press Limited, 2002