Harrowden

Harrowden Hall was built between c. 1716 and 1723 by Thomas Watson the brother of Lewis, Earl of Rockingham who lived at Rockingham Castle. Thomas was the fortunate heir of his maternal uncle William, 2nd Earl of Strafford of Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire. In 1694 the year before his inheritance he had bought the Harrowden estate from the Earl of Banbury. His inheritance delayed any activity here but in 1716 he gave his great Yorkshire estates to his son and retired to Northamptonshire and re built the house at Harrowden. It is a fine Georgian box with two wings, slightly austere on the outside which may be accounted for by the trimming of his sculptural ornaments. These though proliferate the gardens which is populated by lead statues by John Nost together with fine gate piers and wrought iron gates of the period. Internally the house is richer with outstanding fireplaces and a splendid baluster staircase still partly decorated with it’s original large allegorical scenes attributed to the Anglo Flemish artist Gerard Lanscroon. The building is now the club house for Wellingborough Golf Club which not only caters for it’s members but is available for wedding parties and conferences www.wellingboroughgolfclub.com