Stately home back to its former glory

Hatfield Place had fallen into disrepair but there were still nods to its original splendour when Ian and Alison Twinley bought it three years ago - and transformed into a venue fit for any betrothed romantics searching for that special venue.

And the couple did so with the express desire of rescuing it and give it a new lease of life.

Now, following a huge amount of investment and sheer hard work, the property, in Hatfield Peverel, has been re-launched as a venue.

Ian explains the house had been on the market for a year when they bought it.

"Due to the sheer size and scale of the house along with the dilapidated outbuildings it was always going to be difficult to find a buyer seeking a family home.

"It is fair to say a minimal investment had been made over the past 30 to 40 years which meant it was time for a significant makeover," says Ian.

Initially the couple had a different idea of a use for the Grade II Listed buildings - shared accommodation or a retirement commune but due to a lack of interest in this they changed their approach, feeling a wedding venue would reduce the need for major internal changes and, crucially, provide much-needed income for a long-term sustainable future.

This is something they, and Historic England, were particularly keen on because the house comes with such a pedigree.

Commissioned by Colonel John Tyrell in the 1790s it has many original features designed by the respected architect and surveyor for Essex, John Johnson.

Colonel Tyrell is reported to have paid Johnson, whose other notable work include Terling Place and Chelmsford's Shire Hall, what would in today's money be around £1million, to develop and build Hatfield Place.

In its early years, Hatfield Place passed to William Walford and then his son, given the same name.

The house was sold in 1846 but soon after John Tyrell bought it back and during the Victorian and Edwardian years it became a dowry of the female line of the family which helped them secure marriage, status and financial security.

As a result, Mary Tyrell lived there during the 1850s and 1860s with her husband, the third Baronet Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny.

When he died in 1868 the house passed to Mary’s sister Eliza, who had married William Tufnell.

When he died in 1905 he in turn left it to his daughter Agnes and son-in-law Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Chandos Arkwright of Thoby Priory, Mountnessing.

Sadly Arkwright is said to have taken his own life after become depressed following the First World War and this meant the property and land was once again put up for sale, marking the end of the legacy of the Tufnell and Tyrell families.

Bedfordshire businessman Charles Scott then bought it in 1919, keeping it until 1925 and during his ownership hosting a grand historical pageant on behalf of the Women's Institute over two days and re-enacting the history of Hatfield Peverel.

Harrods, no less, was instructed to handle the offer and transfer of sale when it went back on the market and in 1927 Kenneth McCorquodale and his family moved in.

Historian say the couple became a big part of the community with his wife Ellen taking a prominent role in the Women’s Institute.

Their son, Alistair, went on to compete with the British Olympic Team in 1948 but following a photo finish in his event, the 100metre sprint, he missed out on a bronze medal.

In 1956 the family once again sold the house and it was owned as a private home, by the same family until the 1990s and then once again sold before being bought by Alison and Ian Twinley in 2016.

They explain the renovations began with new Welsh slates, replacement lead valley and hips and repairs to the outside masonry.

It also marked the beginning of Alison's three-year journey to find appropriate Antique furnishings, assisted by Gavin Knowles of Hutchinson Antiques.

Ian says : "Existing Cast Iron radiators were removed washed through, sand blasted and sprayed, with more being added.

"All of the woodwork was stripped bare and refinished, with all of the sash windows requiring substantial scarf repairs.

"And twelve new Lefroy Brook bathroom suites were installed being fed from a new 63mm water main rather than the one hundred year old bore hole."

In fact, a team of ten dedicated artisans worked tirelessly for those three years which Ian says has resulted in the "most wonderful ‘home from home’ environment".

Working closely with architects and Historic England, the couple also came up with a design for a marquee alternative to be used in summer months and in the autumn of last year approval was given for a dedicated space in the walled garden which would allow larger functions and keep the "boisterous party activity" away from the house.

Ian admits renovation is not a cheap business, admitting the final cost is likely to exceed the original £1million build cost.

Most of those who worked on the project are personal friends, from school and within the construction sector, enabling them to build in just over seven months.

Which was vital since couples had already been booked in for weddings later in the year, along with some corporate bookings.

Ian confides his favourite part of the building is the 1920 clock he bought about five years ago - hoping he could find a nice home for such a splendid piece of British workmanship.

There is still some work to be carried out on the outbuildings but as Ian explains, a property such as this is like the Forth Bridge - his work will never be done.

He just hopes to hand over the baton in good order to the next custodian.

www.hatfieldplace.com