A Wealth of History

Sir Edwin Lutyens

In 1904 Mrs.A.S.Franklyn of Shedfield Lodge commissioned Sir Edwin Lutyens to design a house firstly to incorporate the magnificent interior of an early 17th century mansion in Bristol scheduled for demolition which she had inherited and secondly to perpetuate the name of Shakespeare’s house in Stratford called New Place with which the Franklyn’s were connected through the Arden family branch of Shakespeare’s mother Mary Arden.

The Langton mansion in Bristol was built in 1623 for John Langton a highly respected wealthy merchant who became mayor of Bristol in1628 (thus in directly the foundations of New Place, Shirrell Heath, were laid.)

The interior was a fine example of the skill and craftsmanship in sculpture and wood carving which existed in that era but 1779 saw the decline of the Langton mansion when it was converted into a tobacco factory remaining as such until 1906 when it was demolished. Mrs.Franklyn salvaged the whole interior. The ceilings and panelling were removed in numbered sections and together with the inlaid mahogany door, staircase, balusters, ceilings and fireplaces, were transported by rail to Wickham and from there to Shirrell Heath by horse and wagon.

The Bristol Room is the most magnificent for it contains all the fittings from John Langton’s state rooms. The Lutyens Bar and Franklyn rooms also contain original ceilings, fireplaces and panelling from Bristol. The dining room ceiling is also original. New Place was ready for occupation in 1908 and Mrs. Franklyn gave it to her son, Captain Henry Arden Franklyn, as a wedding present.

New Place was sold in 1956 to Mr Patrick Harley for £12,000. Mr Harley ran New Place as a boy’s preparatory school, with seven boys. He remained Headmaster, teaching Latin and Maths for the following ten years when he sold the school to Mr.& Mrs P.A Deane as a flourishing prep school of seventy boys aged seven to thirteen.

The school closed in July 1978 and New Place and the grounds were purchased by the Simpact Company and run as a conference centre. In 1979 the first bedroom block was built and in 1980, the second. The centre was also used for weddings and dinner parties.

History of Events

•  1623 John Langton’s new residence, Langton Mansion, was being built at 12 Welsh Back, Bristol.
• 1779 The Langton mansion was sold to John Davies, who converted it into a tobacco factory.
• 1875 Mr.& Mrs Henry William Franklyn moved to Shedfield Lodge, Shedfield, Hants.
• 1884 Henry William died at the age of 50 and was buried at Shedfield.
• 1906 The Langton mansion, which was inherited by Mrs Annie Franklyn, was scheduled for demolition.
• Sir Edwin Lutyens was commissioned by Mr Franklyn to build New Place, Shirrell Heath. The interior of the Langton mansion in Bristol was transported by rail to Wickham and from there to Shirrell Heath by horse and wagon.
• 1908 Captain Henry Arden Franklyn married Emily Geraldine Wilberforce, great granddaughter of William Wilberforce, and came to live at New Place which his mother had given them as a wedding present.
• Captain Franklyn was High Sheriff. New Place was used as a family home from 1908 until 1956.
• 1956 Mr.& Mrs Franklyn (Jnr.) moved from New Place to The Red House, Botley Road. New Place was sold to Mr Patrick Harley for £12,000 and run as a Boys’ Preparatory School.
• 1966 New Place was sold to Mr & Mrs P.A Deane.
• 1979 New Place was sold. The new owners of New Place, The Simpact Company, moved in to run it as a conference centre and also use it for weddings and dinner parties.
• 1986 New Place was once again sold. It was purchased by Style Conferences to run as an Education Centre for IBM.
• 2006 All venues that were acquired in 2005 previously known as Initial Style Conferences were launched with the new name of Verve Venues.
• 2006 AHG acquired the De Vere group and decided to rename Verve Venues to De Vere Venues.
• 2014 Starwood Capital bought De Vere Venues & merged us with Principal Hayley & Four Pillars hotel group.
• 2016 Principal Hayley, Four Pillars & De Vere Venues rebranded, New Place was changed from a De Vere Venue to become a partnered hotel.
• 2017 Mokan Hotels & Company LTD bought New Place Hotel