Lainston House is a 17th-century country house hotel near

Sparsholt, Hampshire Sparsholt (/ˈspɑːʃəʊlt/) is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, west of Winchester. In 1908 its area was . The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded its population as 982. The parish also includes the Hamlet (pl ...

in the south of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It is operated by the

Exclusive Hotels Exclusive Collection is a hotel chain based in Surrey, England. The hotel group has a portfolio of several hotels across the south, and operates mainly in the five star sector. History The group has owned Pennyhill Park in Surrey since 1982, ...

chain. It is a

Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

History

Lainston House is notable for several reasons in its history. Commissioned by Charles II to build a palace at

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

, renowned English architect

Sir Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren PRS FRS (; – ) was one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, as well as an anatomist, astronomer, geometer, and mathematician-physicist. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches ...

may have started work on the site in 1683 by building on the grounds of an earlier medieval dwelling. It became known as the home of Charles and his mistress

Louise de Keroualle Louise or Luise may refer to: * Louise (given name) Arts Songs * "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005 * "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984 * "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013 * "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929 *"Louise", by Clan of ...

before he died in 1685. In August 1744

Elizabeth Chudleigh Elizabeth Pierrepont (née Chudleigh), Duchess of Kingston (8 March 172126 August 1788), sometimes called Countess of Bristol, was an English courtier and courtesan, known by her contemporaries for her adventurous life style. She was the daugh ...

and

Augustus Hervey Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

were secretly married in Lainston House's private chapel, causing a society scandal. Maintaining privacy about the ceremony lest their employment be endangered, their union did not last and Elizabeth went on to marry

Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, KG (171123 September 1773) was an English nobleman and landowner, a member of the House of Lords. He was the only son of William Pierrepont, Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1692–1713) and his ...

. The validity of the ceremony held at Lainston House's chapel became the focal point of bigamy charges and legal proceedings against Elizabeth which pursued her until her death in 1788. Lainston House's tree-lined grounds also contain the longest line of limes in England (9/10ths of a mile), some of which were planted in 1716. The trees were planted in the grounds after the influence of gardener and diarist Sir John Evelyn. Lainston House and its parkland was sold off from private ownership in the 1980s, and currently operates as a luxury 5 star hotel.

References

External links

*{{Official website, https://www.exclusive.co.uk/lainston-house/ Country houses in Hampshire Grade II* listed buildings in Hampshire Hotels in Hampshire Country house hotels