253:"The boredom of our normal routine was only relieved by two great-aunts, sisters of my grandfather. They both lived in large houses one at Bexhill and one at Chorleywood. They always had us to stay every year, sometimes twice a year. Both of them lived in a very grand manner, with great houses full of housemaids and parlourmaids, just as they had been brought up at Woburn. They were just as eccentric as my family is supposed to be. The one at Bexhill was called Lady Ermyntrude Malet and she had peppered the estate with ruins, towers and follies. I have very warm memories of her as she used to give me ten shillings a day pocket-money. Her sister Lady Ela Russell was an old maid who lived entirely alone with her horde of servants. The Chorleywood House had been built to her own design."
233:, which was the ancestral home of the Dukes of Bedford, for many years and did not marry. Her father died in 1891 and she inherited a large amount of money. In the following year she bought Chorleywood House and started a long program of extensive renovations and additions. She modified and enlarged the house. She also developed the estate to be virtually self-sufficient, with her own farms and market garden. She created formal gardens and parkland, and built cottages for her chauffeur and gardener behind the house. In addition she installed electricity using her own generator housed in a building near the summerhouse. Besides owning Chorleywood House she also had a
17:
141:"The highly attractive and charming residential estate known as Chorleywood House adjoining the Turnpike road …comprising a most substantial and spacious mansion well adapted in every respect for the requirements of a gentleman’s family beautifully placed upon rising ground in an ornamental and prettily timbered park and approached by carriage drives from two Lodge entrances. Extensive pleasure grounds artistically arranged commanding delightful views of the surrounding country and overlooking the valley of the Chess.
109:
214:
169:
259:
206:
161:
271:"The Duke of Bedford’s sisters Lady Ela Russell and Lady Ermyntrude Malet now spend most of their time in London. Lady Ela lives in a large house in Princes Gate and in rather stately style, but even before the war she kept parlourmaids. She is a keen business women, well read and a fine linguist and is said to have learned Chinese."
181:
solicitor. He was born in 1830 in
Holloway Middlesex. In 1852 he married Anne Hewett Osmond and they had one daughter. In 1881 he bought the adjoining Roughwood Estate and then Blacketts farm. He then proceeded to develop the whole area as one property. In 1887 he built Roughwood Park and moved there
193:
was a lawyer and very successful publisher of several journals and newspapers. He amassed a large fortune and when he died in 1879 his son
Harding at the age of only 15 inherited a great deal of money. Harding was a very keen sportsman and excelled at shooting, cricket, rowing and hunting. When he
194:
left
Cambridge University he became a lawyer and busied himself with literary, dramatic and journalist pursuits. He was very interested in the theatre and it was here that he met his future wife Hebe Gertrude Barlow (1861-1938), a soprano and well known actress.
148:
The mansion contains four reception rooms, billiard room, 16 bed chambers and dressing rooms with spacious and well-arranged offices. The kitchen gardens are extensive and in perfect order vineries, peach and stove houses, forcing pits and all necessary
120:
in 1791. In 1824 he married Sarah Medley (1803-1872) who was the daughter of
Charles Medley a partner in the banking firm Barnes and Medley. John also became a banker in this firm and became extremely wealthy. He was also for some time a Director of the
96:, the mansion housed evacuees from London. Chorleywood UDC then adopted the house for their offices and the Public Library was housed here. Tenants lived in flats in the upper storeys. When Chorleywood UDC devolved to become
276:
Ermyntrude died in 1927 and Ela continued to live at
Chorleywood House and to run the Estate. She died in 1936 and left the property to her first cousin Lady Romola Russell (1879-1966) who was also unmarried.
691:
176:
Howard
Gilliatt who was the cousin of the Lord of the Manor of Rickmansworth lived in the house for about three years and then rented it. The next resident was George James Robinson (1830-1907) who was a
136:
who was a notable military commander. John died on 13 February 1866 in
Bayswater, London and in 1870 the property was advertised for sale by his sons. An extract from the advertisement is as follows.
684:
80:
mansion called
Chorleywood House was built here in 1822 by John Barnes, replacing an earlier farm house. In 1892, the house was bought by Lady Ela Russell, a relative of the
65:. Chorleywood Dell is a key neutral grassland site in the Biodiversity Action Plan for Hertfordshire. The gardens surround the 200-year-old manor house and summer house.
310:
1082:
677:
700:
336:
1043:
1092:
84:
and she modified and enlarged the house. In June 1940, the mansion and land were bought by the
Chorleywood Urban District Council, together with
288:. Romola lived in the house for six months and then sold it in about 1940. After the War it was acquired by Chorleywood Urban District Council.
385:
358:
237:
town house in
Princes Gate. She also had an interest in art and painted many notable pictures some of which were recently sold at Christies.
591:
285:
226:
875:
789:
483:
459:
471:
860:
245:
100:
DC in 1974 the mansion was entirely converted into flats which are now leased privately. The grounds remain a public open space.
989:
281:
1087:
197:
The couple had three children one of whom was born at Chorleywood House. In 1892 he sold the property to Lady Ela Russell.
314:
880:
97:
40:
85:
44:
16:
725:
240:
She was very close to her only sister Ermyntrude Malet (1856-1927) who was widowed in 1908. Her husband had been
870:
122:
923:
794:
126:
918:
222:
61:
runs through the estate which has formal parkland, meadows and mature woodland. Protected species include
266:
The magazine “The Gentlewoman and Modern Life” mentioned the two sisters in 1916 in the following terms.
1029:
890:
837:
712:
89:
108:
280:
Lady Romola’s full name was Augusta Louise Margaret Romola Villiers Russell. She was the daughter of
51:
28:
908:
804:
645:
389:
364:
1019:
1009:
898:
822:
758:
190:
847:
784:
458:
The Annual Register, Or A View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year, p. 190.
504:
971:
748:
981:
966:
956:
933:
865:
855:
832:
827:
766:
743:
81:
669:
1024:
994:
213:
623:"Society Snapshots." The Gentlewoman and Modern Life, vol. 52, no. 1340, 1916, p. 242.
536:
Baily's Monthly Magazine of Sports and Pastimes (London, England),, ; Issue 328, p. 2.
1076:
1004:
928:
817:
720:
704:
225:
in Sussex, the childhood home of her mother Elizabeth Sackville West. Her father was
133:
36:
168:
961:
812:
614:
John Ian Robert Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford, 1959 “A silver-plated spoon”, p. 38.
546:
525:
258:
241:
230:
93:
411:
579:
435:
1014:
951:
913:
77:
58:
32:
205:
186:
1058:
1045:
633:
603:
567:
999:
776:
62:
116:
John Barnes (1791-1866) built Chorleywood House in 1822. John was born in
248:
remembered both of them in his autobiography published in 1959. He said:
160:
943:
735:
313:. Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. 13 March 2013. Archived from
117:
662:
234:
178:
221:
Lady Ella Monica Sackville Russell (1854-1936) was born in 1854 in
217:
Chorleywood House in 1904 at the time Lady Ela Russell lived there.
257:
212:
204:
167:
159:
107:
15:
185:
Harding Edward de Fonblanque Cox (1854-1944) was born in 1854 in
673:
182:
with his family. Chorleywood House was sold to Harding Cox.
557:
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Saturday 07 May 1892, p. 7.
284:
who was Ela’s uncle, the younger brother of her father the
132:
The couple had eleven children, one of whom was Colonel
363:. Friends of Chorleywood House Estate. Archived from
227:
Francis Charles Hastings Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford
980:
942:
889:
846:
803:
775:
757:
734:
711:
503:Herts Advertiser - Saturday 13 August 1870, p. 4.
545:Birth Certificate for Lionel Harding Cox 1890.
388:. Three Rivers District Council. Archived from
282:Odo William Leopold Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill
685:
494:Morning Post - Friday 16 February 1866, p. 8.
8:
644:Chorleywood Residents Association website.
92:and designated a public open space. During
692:
678:
670:
482:Bradshaw's Railway Gazette, 1845, p. 835.
172:Hebe Gertrude Barlow, wife of Harding Cox
339:. Local Nature Reserves. Natural England
151:The house was bought by Howard Gilliatt.
112:Sale notice of Chorleywood House in 1870
297:
20:The main frontage of Chorleywood House.
1083:Local Nature Reserves in Hertfordshire
305:
303:
301:
7:
412:"General - Chorleywood House Estate"
360:Chorleywood House Estate Leaflet pdf
790:Furzefield Wood and Lower Halfpenny
578:Chorleywood House Estate website.
436:"House - Chorleywood House Estate"
68:There is access from Common Road.
14:
470:Bankers' Magazine, 1845, p. 421.
337:"Map of Chorleywood House Estate"
246:Ian Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford
43:, and the declaring authority is
1093:Country houses in Hertfordshire
1010:Northaw Great Wood Country Park
156:Residents between 1870 and 1890
127:Buckinghamshire Railway Company
1:
41:Three Rivers District Council
39:. It is owned and managed by
86:Hertfordshire County Council
45:Hertfordshire County Council
440:www.chorleywoodhouse.org.uk
416:www.chorleywoodhouse.org.uk
262:Lady Romola Russell in 1946
1109:
726:Top Field and Cozens Grove
386:"Chorleywood House Estate"
311:"Chorleywood House Estate"
904:Chorleywood House Estate
871:Watercress Wildlife Site
524:England Census of 1891.
242:Sir Edward Baldwin Malet
25:Chorleywood House Estate
924:Rickmansworth Aquadrome
795:Hilfield Park Reservoir
515:England Census of 1881.
209:Lady Ela Russell, 1879.
919:Prestwick Road Meadows
263:
218:
210:
173:
165:
113:
21:
1088:Three Rivers District
1030:Stanborough Reedmarsh
701:Local nature reserves
261:
216:
208:
171:
163:
111:
90:London County Council
63:coralroot bittercress
19:
632:The Peerage website
602:The Peerage website
566:The Peerage website
123:Union Bank of London
52:Local Nature Reserve
50:It was designated a
29:Local Nature Reserve
1055: /
909:Croxley Common Moor
805:North Hertfordshire
286:9th Duke of Bedford
244:. Her great nephew
1059:51.6631°N 0.5021°W
1020:Sherrardspark Wood
899:Chorleywood Common
823:Oughtonhead Common
759:East Hertfordshire
590:Christies website
317:on 6 February 2015
264:
219:
211:
191:Edward William Cox
174:
166:
114:
27:is a 64.3 hectare
22:
1038:
1037:
1100:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1065:
1064:51.6631; -0.5021
1060:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1051:
1048:
972:The Lairage Land
749:Shrubhill Common
694:
687:
680:
671:
666:
665:
663:Official website
648:
646:Online reference
642:
636:
634:Online reference
630:
624:
621:
615:
612:
606:
604:Online reference
600:
594:
592:Online reference
588:
582:
580:Online reference
576:
570:
568:Online reference
564:
558:
555:
549:
547:Online reference
543:
537:
534:
528:
526:Online reference
522:
516:
513:
507:
505:Online reference
501:
495:
492:
486:
484:Online reference
480:
474:
472:Online reference
468:
462:
460:Online reference
456:
450:
449:
447:
446:
432:
426:
425:
423:
422:
408:
402:
401:
399:
397:
392:on 11 March 2015
382:
376:
375:
373:
372:
355:
349:
348:
346:
344:
333:
327:
326:
324:
322:
307:
201:Lady Ela Russell
1108:
1107:
1103:
1102:
1101:
1099:
1098:
1097:
1073:
1072:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1054:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1034:
982:Welwyn Hatfield
976:
967:Harebreaks Wood
957:Cassiobury Park
938:
934:The Withey Beds
885:
866:Marshalls Heath
856:Batford Springs
842:
833:Therfield Heath
828:Purwell Meadows
799:
771:
767:Waterford Heath
753:
744:Howe Grove Wood
730:
707:
698:
661:
660:
657:
652:
651:
643:
639:
631:
627:
622:
618:
613:
609:
601:
597:
589:
585:
577:
573:
565:
561:
556:
552:
544:
540:
535:
531:
523:
519:
514:
510:
502:
498:
493:
489:
481:
477:
469:
465:
457:
453:
444:
442:
434:
433:
429:
420:
418:
410:
409:
405:
395:
393:
384:
383:
379:
370:
368:
357:
356:
352:
342:
340:
335:
334:
330:
320:
318:
309:
308:
299:
294:
229:. She lived at
203:
158:
106:
82:Duke of Bedford
74:
12:
11:
5:
1106:
1104:
1096:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1075:
1074:
1036:
1035:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1025:Singlers Marsh
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
995:Danesbury Park
992:
986:
984:
978:
977:
975:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
948:
946:
940:
939:
937:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
895:
893:
887:
886:
884:
883:
878:
876:Wheathampstead
873:
868:
863:
858:
852:
850:
844:
843:
841:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
809:
807:
801:
800:
798:
797:
792:
787:
785:Fisher's Field
781:
779:
773:
772:
770:
769:
763:
761:
755:
754:
752:
751:
746:
740:
738:
732:
731:
729:
728:
723:
717:
715:
709:
708:
699:
697:
696:
689:
682:
674:
668:
667:
656:
655:External links
653:
650:
649:
637:
625:
616:
607:
595:
583:
571:
559:
550:
538:
529:
517:
508:
496:
487:
475:
463:
451:
427:
403:
377:
350:
328:
296:
295:
293:
290:
274:
273:
256:
255:
223:Buckhurst Park
202:
199:
157:
154:
153:
152:
149:outbuildings."
144:
143:
105:
102:
73:
70:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1105:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1080:
1078:
1071:
1068:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1005:Mardley Heath
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
987:
985:
983:
979:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
949:
947:
945:
941:
935:
932:
930:
929:Stockers Lake
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
896:
894:
892:
888:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
853:
851:
849:
845:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
818:Norton Common
816:
814:
811:
810:
808:
806:
802:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
782:
780:
778:
774:
768:
765:
764:
762:
760:
756:
750:
747:
745:
742:
741:
739:
737:
733:
727:
724:
722:
721:Cheshunt Park
719:
718:
716:
714:
710:
706:
705:Hertfordshire
702:
695:
690:
688:
683:
681:
676:
675:
672:
664:
659:
658:
654:
647:
641:
638:
635:
629:
626:
620:
617:
611:
608:
605:
599:
596:
593:
587:
584:
581:
575:
572:
569:
563:
560:
554:
551:
548:
542:
539:
533:
530:
527:
521:
518:
512:
509:
506:
500:
497:
491:
488:
485:
479:
476:
473:
467:
464:
461:
455:
452:
441:
437:
431:
428:
417:
413:
407:
404:
391:
387:
381:
378:
367:on 2015-03-11
366:
362:
361:
354:
351:
338:
332:
329:
316:
312:
306:
304:
302:
298:
291:
289:
287:
283:
278:
272:
269:
268:
267:
260:
254:
251:
250:
249:
247:
243:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
215:
207:
200:
198:
195:
192:
189:. His father
188:
183:
180:
170:
162:
155:
150:
146:
145:
142:
139:
138:
137:
135:
134:Osmond Barnes
130:
128:
124:
119:
110:
103:
101:
99:
95:
94:World War Two
91:
87:
83:
79:
71:
69:
66:
64:
60:
55:
53:
48:
46:
42:
38:
37:Hertfordshire
34:
30:
26:
18:
1040:
962:Garston Park
903:
891:Three Rivers
861:Colney Heath
838:Weston Hills
813:Ivel Springs
640:
628:
619:
610:
598:
586:
574:
562:
553:
541:
532:
520:
511:
499:
490:
478:
466:
454:
443:. Retrieved
439:
430:
419:. Retrieved
415:
406:
394:. Retrieved
390:the original
380:
369:. Retrieved
365:the original
359:
353:
341:. Retrieved
331:
319:. Retrieved
315:the original
279:
275:
270:
265:
252:
239:
231:Woburn Abbey
220:
196:
184:
175:
147:
140:
131:
115:
98:Three Rivers
75:
67:
56:
49:
24:
23:
1062: /
1015:Oxleys Wood
990:The Commons
952:Albans Wood
914:Oxhey Woods
164:Harding Cox
125:and of the
104:John Barnes
59:River Chess
33:Chorleywood
1077:Categories
1047:51°39′47″N
713:Broxbourne
445:2016-10-30
421:2016-10-30
396:6 February
371:2015-02-06
343:6 February
321:6 February
292:References
187:Bloomsbury
1050:0°30′08″W
1000:Howe Dell
848:St Albans
777:Hertsmere
72:The house
54:in 2007.
881:The Wick
944:Watford
736:Dacorum
118:England
78:Regency
235:London
179:London
398:2015
345:2015
323:2015
88:and
57:The
703:in
129:.
35:in
31:in
1079::
438:.
414:.
300:^
76:A
47:.
693:e
686:t
679:v
448:.
424:.
400:.
374:.
347:.
325:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
