Thomas Pelham Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who sold the Fredville estate to Margaretta Bridges, the first wife of John Plumptre of Nottingham, who inherited Fredville on her death in 1756.
Plumptre House, Nottingham, from Deering’s History of Nottingham 1751. It was described by Deering, who had financial assistance from John Plumptre, in his 1750 history of Nottingham as exhibiting Italian taste on the exterior but English taste inside. Plumptre House was the first recorded instance of an architect of national standing being employed on a private building in Nottingham. Plumptre House was a Georgian mansion in Stoney Street, next to St. Mary’s Church, built in 1707 it was re-designed by Colen Campbell, (15 June 1676 – 13 September 1729) a pioneering Scottish architect and architectural writer, credited as a founder of the Georgian style who spent most of his career in Italy and England, for the local M.P. John Plumptre, somewhere between 1723 and 1734. Campbell enlarged it into a Palladian mansion facing east, rebuilding the east wing of the earlier ‘H’ shaped house and adding a new three-and-a-half storey front facing Stoney Street which necessitated the demolition of adjacent property to form a walled forecourt.Plumptre House in Nottingham. The first John Plumptre of Fredville was the last member of the family to reside at Plumptre House and died at his London residence in 1791 at the age of 80. An advertisement in the Nottingham Journal for 2nd April 1803, announcing that Plumptre House was to be sold, described it as ‘A Capital Messuage, in Stoney Street in the Town of Nottingham, (now divided into two Houses) , with the coach-houses, warehouse, stables, buildings, yards, and garden; containing in the whole, 3,903 square yards, in the occupation of Mr. Davison and Mr Williams.’The old Plumptre Hospital in Plumptre Square, Nottingham. Inscription on the building reads: PLUMPTRE HOSPITAL Founded and endowed for the support of a Master, a priest, and thirteen poor Widows, By John de Plumptre, A.D. 1392. Repaired by Huntingdon Plumptre, Esq., 1650 By John Plumptre, Esq., A.D. 1751 By John Plumptre, his son, A.D. 1753. First stone of the present Hospital was laid on the 1st of August, A.D. 1823, By the Rev. Charles Thomas Plumptre, Rector of Claypole, In Lincolnshire, on behalf of his father, John Plumptre, of Fredville, In the county of Ken, Esq., the Master or Guardian of the said Hospital, And a descendant of the Founder.The print Fredville in Kent – The Seat of John Plumptre Esq., is from The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent by William Hasted circa 1800, and shows Fredville House and the Majesty Oak. A ring of people, probably servants, encircles the Oak possibly to measure its girth for the mounted observers.A lithographic engraving of Fredville from: An Epitome of County History Wherein the Most Remarkable Objects, Persons, and Events, Are Briefly Treated Of; The Seats, Residences, Etc. Of the Nobility, Clergy, and Gentry; County of Kent by C. Greenwood. Published for the Proprietor, at the Office of the Author in London 1838John Pembleton Plumptre :artist unknown. Possibly commissioned after election as an MP in 1832Catherine Emma, Cecilia Matilda, and Matilda Charlotte Louisa, the daughters of J.P.Plumptre-a pre-1850 portrait by an unknown artistCharles John Plumptre, who inherited the Fredville estate on the death of J.P. Plumtre in 1864, with his wife Fanny Augusta, and children. Henry Weston Plumptre is on the extreme rightThe old entrance drive from the Fredville Park coach road to the front of Fredville HouseThe front of the house and the tennis courts from the north, circa 1910. The stables are to the right just out of view.The magnificent staircase at Fredville House.The old Fredville House library.A sitting room in Fredville House, early 1920’s, probably just after the Plumptre family moved to Little Fredville.A view from the top of the house along the coach road towards the Holt Street gate lodgeAnother view from the top of the house along the coach road towards the Holt Street gate lodge. The stable yard and clock tower are off to the left.A view of the house from the Park with the Majestie Oak just out of view on the left. The stable yard and clock tower on the right of the house are now all that remain of the houseFredville House and the Majestie Oak in the early 1800’s, artist unknown.A winter view of the house and the Majesty Oak from the south-eastThe Majestie Oak, an undated water-colour by an unknown artist, probably mid-19th century.The Majesty Oak with the mansion in the background circa 1910An 1860’s view of the conservatory on the southern end of the houseThe house and terrace viewed from the south. The walled garden is to the left, the Majesty Oak to the right, both out of viewThe terrace and walled gardenThe Cedar Hut in the walled garden.The house viewed from within the walled gardenThe stable yard entrance before the Great War. The boy on the horse is believed to be the late John Plumptre, who died in 1987.Boring for coal near Fredville in 1908. The sign at the top of the tower reads
” A.G.Potter & Co., Artesian Well Engineers”. Tennis at Fredville circa 1920. Will Harvey, son of local seed-merchant John Harvey is in the centre of the back rowThe new Fredville mansion, 1926A sale was held when the family moved from the old mansionSome of the contents of the old library proved to be very valuabl Fredville House staircase during the school years.A junior dormitory at the schoolThe school’s indoor swimming poolIn 1940 the old house was occupied by the Canadian Army. It sadly caught fire and was badly damaged.
Hi.
I am researching Plumptre House in Nottingham and I am interested in what happened to the library which was eventually transfered to Fredville in c. 1791. Your website illustrates a newspaper cutting THE SALE ROOM, of a sale at Sothebys but it does not give the name of the paper. It also illustrates a Sale Catalogue for Fredville Park. Could you tell me where I could find either of these items? Or could you tell me whether the sale catalogue includes any books. I assume the sale took place in 1926.Does the newspaper cutting have a date, I would like to consult Sothebys but it would help to have a date for the sale. I live in Nottingham and haven’t yet been able to visit Kent Archives. The photos of the Library at Fredville are very interesting!
Pete
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admin
Pete, I’ve replied to your email regarding the information requested.
Pete Smith FSA
Hi.
I am researching Plumptre House in Nottingham and I am interested in what happened to the library which was eventually transfered to Fredville in c. 1791. Your website illustrates a newspaper cutting THE SALE ROOM, of a sale at Sothebys but it does not give the name of the paper. It also illustrates a Sale Catalogue for Fredville Park. Could you tell me where I could find either of these items? Or could you tell me whether the sale catalogue includes any books. I assume the sale took place in 1926.Does the newspaper cutting have a date, I would like to consult Sothebys but it would help to have a date for the sale. I live in Nottingham and haven’t yet been able to visit Kent Archives. The photos of the Library at Fredville are very interesting!
Pete