Sydmonton

Sydmonton
Hampshire
Sydmonton from Ladle Hill
Location
Grid reference:	SU484578
Location:	51°19’2"N, 1°18’23"W
Data
Post town:	Newbury
Postcode:	RG26
Dialling code:	01256
Local Government
Council:	Basingstoke and Deane
Parliamentary constituency:	North West Hampshire

Sydmonton is a small village in the north of Hampshire, just below the scarp slope of Watership Down to the south. Its nearest town is Newbury, across the border in Berkshire, which is seven miles to the north-west of Sydmonton. Half a mile to the west is Old Burghclere.

History

Sydmonton is dominated by the five thousand acres of Sydmonton Court, an estate whch was formerly the seat of the Kingsmill Family, including Admiral Sir Robert Kingsmill. The estate is currently owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber, and hosts the annual Sydmonton Festival.

The house is a grade II* listed Tudor manor house originally built to an E-shaped floor plan in the 16th century, but modified several times since then.

The estate came into the hands of the Kingsmill family after the dissolution of the monasteries when it was granted by Henry VIII to John Kingsmill. It passed down in the family until coming to Elizabeth Corry, whose hiusband, Robert Brice, in 1766 took the surname 'Kingsmill' in order to inherit the estate. He became an admiral and was created a baronet in 1800. He left Sydmonton to the Rev. John Stephens, vicar of Chewton Mendip in Somerset, who also took the name of 'Kingsmill' in 1806.

Events

The Sydmonton Festival is a summer arts festival presented in a deconsecrated 16th century chapel in the grounds of the Sydmonton Court estate.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Sydmonton)