Glynde Place was built in 1569 by the Morley family and is now the family home of Francis and Caroline Hampden.
The house, made of local flint, chalk and Caen stone, rises imposingly from the surrounding green meadows. William Morley had it built in 1579 and the house was passed down through the family, often through the female family members. It was altered and enlarged between 1755 and 1760 for Dr Richard Trevor, the Bishop of Durham and most of the east side of the building was built during this time. The house is mostly Elizabethan in style and the current owner, the 7th Viscount Hampden, comments that he didn’t enjoy living there as a child, and “never wanted to live in the house”. But when he met his wife and started to think about his family’s future, he decided to take on the responsibility of renovating this part of the family’s history and make it more useful for daily life. He inherited it in 2008 and it was closed to the public for several years for renovations.
Now, you can take part in a guided tour of the house or stop off for the Love Supreme Jazz Festival, which takes place in July and offers headliners such as Gregory Porter and Tom Misch. There’s also a series of concerts inside the grand Elizabethan house, featuring BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists. Hearing music echo around the stone building and the grounds is a real treat and a reminder that Glynde Place’s historic past is to be shared: Francis Hampden’s big wish for the property.