Folly Hill Farm, Itchen Stoke, Hampshire, SO24 9TF ☎ 01962 791020 envelope info@thegrangefestival.co.uk www.thegrangefestival.co.uk

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1825 Charles Robert Cockerell was bought in to

finish the new wing with its elegant Orangery (now the site of the theatre) and opulent dining

room.

1820 Baring makes improvements to the parklands by extending the flower gardens, creating a walled

kitchen garden and planted many ornamental trees, such as the magnificent cedars which survive to this

day.

1823 Over the next 2 years Baring employed

Robert Smirke to extend the house to the west.

1662 Sir Robert Henley, successful bought a modest country estate in Hampshire called The Grange.

1665 William Samwell is commissioned “to

erect a considerable mansion” and builds a magnificent 4 storey red brick residence.

The Grange at Northington, Hampshire, is one of the greatest examples of Greek Revival architecture left in Europe today. It was originally built in the late 17th century as a Restoration house which was later transformed into a glorious residence reminiscent of a Greek temple, the finishing touch being its magnificent Doric portico. Neglected for many years it was rescued from demolition in 1975 and in 1998 the first annual Opera

festival was held in its grounds. In 2002 the former orangery was converted into a purpose built theatre which was completely refurbished in time for the inaugural Grange

Festival in 2017.

THE HISTORY OF THE GRANGE

1787 After being bought by Henry Drummond he turned

his attention to the expansive grounds. He created an ornamental lake by diverting a tributary of the River Itchen

and made other improvements to the parklands.

1795 HRH George, Prince of Wales leases The

Grange as an extravagant hunting lodge with over 400 deer in the parklands.

1804 Henry Drummond commissions Williams Wilkins to

convert his brick mansion into an elaborate Greek temple. The magnificent Doric portico is a copy of

the Theseion in Athens. The extensive remodelling included raising the level of the ground floor and

removing the original pitched roof.

1817 Unimpressed with the final result, Henry

Drummond sold the estate to his neighbour Alexander Baring, later 1st Lord Ashburton.

1868 After an internal remodelling by John Cox, The Grange was really in its heyday. It employed over 100 staff and

held glamorous parties attended by Thomas Carlyle, Alfred Lord Tennyson and other influential figures.

1890 After selling Bath house in Piccadilly, Francis Baring, 5th Lord Ashburton, converts the Orangery into a picture

gallery and ballroom in order to accommodate his art collection.

1934 The Grange and its parklands were sold to

Charles Wallach, an industrialist with grand plans to fill the house with fine art and gift it

to the nation.

1943 Wallach allowed the US army to stay at

The Grange, the soldiers of 47th US Infantry even enjoyed a Christmas party in the

picture gallery.

1944 Winston Churchill and Dwight D

Eisenhower met at The Grange to discuss the forthcoming invasion of

France: Operation Overlord.

1964 After the death of Charles Wallach,

John Baring, later 7th Lord Ashburton, buys The Grange and its parklands.

1975 The Grange is taken into the care

of English Heritage.

1998 The first annual opera

festival is held at The Grange.

2002 A new theatre was designed by Studio E Architects in 2002, to convert the

interior of the former orangery—picture gallery for performances. It was largely build underground in order to protect the integrity of the beautiful

exterior.

2016 The Grange Festival begins a complete refurbishment of the theatre including

a brand new stage and seats donated by Cameron Mackintosh.

2017 The Grange Festival’s inaugural season

begins.

1852 Frederick Pepys Cockerell

added a second story to the wing added by Robert Smirke.

The Lake at The Grange © Shannon Robinson

Cutaway isometric reconstruction by Stephen Conlin of The Grange viewed from northwest as it may

have appeared when originally completed to William Samwell’s design

© Historic England Archives

1975 - The delapidated interior of the orangery, now home

to the theatre © Historic England Archives

An interior view of the Picture Gallery c.1935

© Historic England Archives

The Grange Festival 2018 © Shannon Robinson

1871 - Francis and Frederick Baring at The Grange

© The Savage Collection, Hampshire Cultural Trust

1865 - The Portico © The Savage Collection, Hampshire Cultural Trust

1870 - The outdoor staff of The Grange Northington

© The Savage Collection, Hampshire Cultural Trust

The Auditorium© Robert Workman

The Grange from the south, probably late 1820s or 1830s, lithograph by John Hewetson© Hampshire Record Office