Mells Manor at Mells,

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

, England, was built in the 16th century for Edward Horner, altered in the 17th century, partially demolished around 1780, and restored by Sir

Edwin Lutyens Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens ( ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses, war memori ...

in the 20th century. The house, along with the garden walls, has been designated as a Grade I

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 ...

, and is closely associated with the adjacent Church of St Andrew. The gardens are listed, Grade I, on the

Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England The Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by Historic England ...

History

The building was originally much more extensive than its current appearance, including a north wing, with two thirds of the building being demolished around 1780. It was then used as a farmhouse and subsequently as a school for boys undertaking holy orders. Mells Manor was purportedly procured by Thomas Horner, who had been entrusted by

Richard Whiting Richard Whiting may refer to: * Richard Whiting (abbot) (1461–1539), last Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey before the Dissolution of the Monasteries * Richard A. Whiting (1891–1938), writer of popular songs, father of singer Margaret Whiting and act ...

, the last

Abbot of Glastonbury __NOTOC__ The Abbot of Glastonbury was the head (or abbot) of Anglo-Saxon and eventually Benedictine house of Glastonbury Abbey at Glastonbury in Somerset, England. The following is a list of abbots of Glastonbury: Abbots See also * Abbot's Ki ...

, who had concealed several deeds as a gift to King Henry VIII to curry his favour against nationalising the Church of England and seizing church lands. Prior to this, Horner found the deed for Mells Manor, which he kept for himself. This act is referenced in the popular nursery rhyme ''

Little Jack Horner "Little Jack Horner" is a popular English nursery rhyme with the Roud Folk Song Index number 13027. First mentioned in the 18th century, it was early associated with acts of opportunism, particularly in politics. Moralists also rewrote and expa ...

''. An alternative and more likely explanation from Horner's descendants is that the manor was bought from the King's Commissioners in 1543. The house was visited by

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

and his troops in 1644. In 1724,

Thomas Strangways Horner Thomas Strangways Horner ( Horner; 1688–1741), of Mells, Somerset and Melbury, Dorset, was a British landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1713 and 1741. Horner was baptized on 3 July 1688, the second, but eldes ...

moved out of the manor house in the village and commissioned

Nathaniel Ireson Nathaniel Ireson (1685– 18 April 1769) was a potter, architect and mason best known for his work around Wincanton in Somerset, England. He was probably born in Ansley, Warwickshire. He rebuilt much of the centre of Wincanton following a fire in ...

to build Park House within

Mells Park Mells Park is a country estate of near Mells, Somerset, Mells, Somerset, England. It originated as a 17th-century deer park (England), deer park, probably created by the Horner family, who had been the owners of Mells Manor from 1543. The Horner ...

. The park is bordered by the

Mells River The Mells River flows through the eastern Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. It rises at Gurney Slade and flows east joining the River Frome at Frome. The river forms one of the boundaries of Mells Park, a country house estate in Mells. A few ...

. Many sites on the river and its tributaries, owned by the Horners were leased to James Fussell and his family to establish water-powered mills for the production of iron tools. The house is a residence of the

Earl of Oxford and Asquith Earl of Oxford and Asquith is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1925 for the Liberal politician H. H. Asquith. He was Home Secretary from 1892 to 1895, Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1905 to 1908, Leader of t ...

References

{{reflist

External links

Mells Manor House, Frome, England
at ''Parks & Gardens UK'' Houses completed in the 16th century Grade I listed buildings in Mendip District Grade I listed houses in Somerset Country houses in Somerset Works of Edwin Lutyens in England Grade I listed parks and gardens in Somerset Gardens in Somerset Mells, Somerset