In 1845, John Lewis Moilliet's new Italianate house burned down on Christmas Day. Rather than abandoning the site, Moilliet's widow and son employed architect Samuel Daukes to rebuild the house from 1846 to 1849 on the original foundations and apparently to the original design. This was Daukes' first major country house commission.
Later owners continued to transform the interior. In about 1883, cotton magnate John Joseph Jones had the house extended and redecorated by J.P. St Aubyn. St Aubyn introduced a series of black chimneypieces into the neoclassical interiors. The estate also features a Grade II* listed clock tower and a main entrance lodge built in the 1880s. In 1962, the top of the belvedere was removed, and a Brutalist house for the headmaster was attached to the garden front between 1970 and 1975.
Since 1916, Abberley Hall has been occupied by Abberley Hall School. The school gained acclaim, with The Good Schools Guide describing it as a delight, but the institution closed in mid-2023 due to financial difficulties. The house remains a Grade II* listed building, complemented by Grade II listed gardens.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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