Hall Place

Today overlooked by a constant stream of traffic thundering along the A2 towards London, this beautiful Tudor mansion once stood at the heart of an extensive estate. Records going back to the 13th century confirm that an earlier manor house was located on the estate, but all traces of this have long since vanished. Surrounded by award-winning gardens and parkland, and with the River Cray meandering gently through its grounds, it is difficult to imagine an age when highwaymen were terrorising the area.

Sir John Champneys, a former Lord Mayor of London, began Hall Place c1537 using stones that may have been quarried from the ruins of a local abbey. His son completed the stone section of the building, and the Champneys remained at Hall Place for more than a century. It was then sold to a London merchant, who extended the house with a brick addition, thereby giving the house its distinct 'split' appearance. Two decades later and Hall Place changed hands again, this time to a member of the notorious Hellfire Club, Sir Francis Dashwood. The Dashwoods rarely resided at Hall Place, preferring to remain at West Wycombe Park in Buckinghamshire, letting out the accommodation on their Bexley estate to various tenants. During the 150 years under Dashwood ownership, Hall Place was used as a school for the first half of that period, and then leased to private tenants after a general restoration was carried out in the 1870s.

Lady Limerick was the last tenant to reside at Hall Place, living there from 1917 until her death in 1943. She was a popular local figure who loved to entertain, counting among her invited guests the future King, and she left her own unique legacy at this lovely house. The unusual topiary garden is very eye-catching, and was initiated by Lady Limerick. In the 1950s, as part of the Coronation celebrations, it was extended to include mythical and heraldic figures, forming a line known as the 'Queens Beasts'.

After the Second World War, when Hall Place was taken over by American troops on a special secret assignment, the house again reverted to use as a school. As a Grade I listed building, it has now been fully restored by the local council and is home to the Bexley Museum. Throughout the year many exhibitions depicting local history are held at Hall Place, and a mass of archive documents are regularly on display. Whether your interests lie in the architecture, the superb gardens, or the history of a great house, Hall Place presents a fascinating venue for the whole family. Learn about the occupants, both human and ghostly, and consider the legendary associations with Dick Turpin and the Black Prince. Take a leisurely stroll in the grounds, or simply enjoy a quite spot beside the river to ponder what activity this estate has witnessed in the last 800 years.