From The Archives: Upstairs Downstairs

**The Hestercombe Archive provides primary source material for scholarly research, teaching support, preservation, and public service, and actively encourages and promotes the use of its collections. It is our privilege, and responsibility, to ensure the careful storage and preservation of these important evidences of the property’s history for future...

Legate’s pleasure in relating the complexities of English village cricket is contagious and he tells a deeply satisfying story..._ - VLADIVOSTOK VIXEN - Fans of Kim Legate live for his complex historical thrillers, but now and then he serves up something unexpected. That’s exactly what he does with great success, in Cricket Anyone?. _- USA TODAY - Score...

The Hestercombe archives are bursting at the seams with facts, pictures and accounts of the history of Hestercombe and those who lived and worked here. In this installment of _Memories of Hestercombe_ we take a step back almost 300 years and explore the Hestercombe estate as it was in 1720. _Written by Kim Legate, Archivist_ Fig. 4 - John Bampfylde's...

The Hestercombe archives are bursting at the seams with facts, pictures and accounts of the history of Hestercombe and those who lived and worked here. In this installment of Memories of Hestercombe we hear about the Grand Ball which took place in January 1897 - and the star studded Taunton guest list in attendance. _Written by Kim Legate, Archivist_ - On...

The Hestercombe archives are bursting at the seams with facts, pictures and accounts of the history of Hestercombe and those who lived and worked here. This post is the first of a series called 'Memories of Hestercombe', where we uncover lost and forgotten characters of the estate. - Written by Kim Legate, Archivist_ - Figure 1 - Thomas ‘James’ Tooze &...

**The next instalment from the Hestercombe Archives explores the fascinating early history of 'Haegsta’descumb', from 682 - 1391**: **_Written by_**_ _**_Kim Legate, Senior Archivist_**: As far as the valley of Helsdena (Hel... ‘s Valley). Then by a brook to the ford which is called Wealaford (Ford of the Welsh or Celts). And so along the course of that...

**MEMORIES OF HESTERCOMBE: THE 1873-77 REMODELLING OF HESTERCOMBE HOUSE**: The moulded stone arch that frames the east entrance to the Gallery Shop, originally the Great Hall, probably formed part of the rear wall of the original, early medieval house at Hestercombe. By the late 17th century the increasingly substantial residence of the Warre family...

**Rediscovering and Restoring the Octagon Summerhouse**: - by Assistant Archivist, Ben Whitworth_ The restoration of Hestercombe's Landscape Garden calls for a wide range of skills. For example, an Octagon Summerhouse is known to have existed in 1761 when someone listed it among the seats and alcoves within the Garden. However, it was subsequently...

**SEDIMENT brings together three decades of work by celebrated German artist Mariele Neudecker. Landscape, the deep sea, the Arctic, environmental concerns and lockdown all have a presence in this major solo exhibition.**: - Image: Mariele Neudecker, We Saw It Coming All Along [1 & 2] 2019, (detail), mixed media on archive print on board. © the Artist-...

I thought you might appreciate this photo of Hestercombe House taken in 1953, just as the Somerset Fire Brigade (est. 1948) was about to move in and make it their headquarters. Somerset County Council leased Hestercombe House for £500 per year in September and would eventually (1977) purchase the House and adjoining 11 acres of land, including the Formal...

**Extract from The 1873-77 Remodelling Of Hestercombe House**: **Written by Kim Legate, Head Archivist**: In January 1873, London based architect, Henry Hall (1829-1909), who had established ‘a large and comfortable’ country practice, primarily in Somerset and Dorset, was contracted by Lord Portman to make designs ‘for a first class mansion’. A...

**Be Part of Our Team** **Day Care Host, The Filo Project, Taunton and surrounding areas** **The Filo Project is a not-for-profit enterprise offering high quality, small group day care for older people.** **Our mission** Our mission is to provide enriching day care for people living with dementia and the challenges of older age. Through meaningful, social...

**Be Part of Our Team** **Day Care Host, The Filo Project, Taunton and surrounding areas** **The Filo Project is a not-for-profit enterprise offering high quality, small group day care for older people.** **Our mission** Our mission is to provide enriching day care for people living with dementia and the challenges of older age. Through meaningful, social...

Miss Warre (cascade)_, C-type print, 2017 © Trish Morrissey This autumn (opens 18 Nov) the Hestercombe Gallery is privileged to welcome acclaimed photographer Trish Morrissey to its exciting contemporary arts programme. Having exhibited extensively in solo and group shows in the UK and internationally, her work is in major private and public collections....

**Philip White shares thoughts on the evolution of the members' newsletters found in the archive.**: **Today is a Red Letter day as the first time in nearly thirty years that our Hestercombe Newsletter has gone completely digital.**: I took the opportunity to delve into our archive where I was delighted to discover that we appear to have all, or nearly all,...

**Memories of Hestercombe - The Portman Chapel - **_criticism from a variety of media & magazines..._** Characters that no reader will forget... prose as clean and strong as any Legate has yet laid down... and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that will mark this article as a classic slice of Edwardiana - Prague Post The plot surges forward,...

  We are seeking an outstanding individual to lead the development and delivery of business, commercial and enterprise activities within the South West Heritage Trust. You will be a person with an excellent record of achievement at senior level within a charity or cultural organisation, and with an ability to build funding and other partnerships, motivate...

We are seeking an outstanding individual to lead the development and delivery of business, commercial and enterprise activities within the South West Heritage Trust. You will be a person with an excellent record of achievement at senior level within a charity or cultural organisation, and with an ability to build funding and other partnerships, motivate...

**an amateur artist whose talents were far from amateurish** - ~ Huon Mallalieu, Country Life art writer_ **Coplestone Warre Bampfylde, 1720-1791**: **2020 gained significance as we celebrated the 300th anniversary of the birth of Coplestone Warre Bampfylde, former owner of Hestercombe, and designer of the impressive Landscape Garden that greets you after...

**We very much welcome people with disabilities, their carers and their assistance dogs ~ we hope you will find the information below useful in planning your visit.**: At Hestercombe you’ll find 50 acres of gardens featuring designs from the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s, a café, and plant centre, and in the historic Hestercombe House, a contemporary art...