Dullingham House from the front
(click on the picture above to enlarge)
Dullingham House (listed Grade II) is an attractive, early 18th century, red brick country house. Set in 32 hectares of pleasure grounds with an imposing stable block, and deer park to the south, landscaped by Humphry Repton in 1802, the estate at that time, would have been impressive.
The present house was constructed by Christopher Jeaffreson, whose family had owned the manor and Dullingham estates since 1656 when John Jeaffreson, a pioneer settler on St Kitts, purchased it from the infant Sir Richard Wingfield.
Suriviving evidence inside the building suggests that the house replaced an earlier one on the same site. When Sir Christopher died in 1749, the estate, its new house and small pleasure ground passed to his son, also Christopher, who remained at Dullingham until his death in 1788. His only son, Colonel Christopher Jeaffreson inherited.
In 1799 Jeaffreson called in Humphry Repton to give advice on the alteration of the grounds and in 1802 a Red Book was produced. This dealt solely with the land to the south of the House. Following enclosure in c1810, the park was extended to bring in the land to the north of the House, at which time it reached its full size of c32hectares.
Christopher Jeaffreson died in 1824 and the estate passed to his daughter, Harriet, who married William Pigot in 1827. Their son, Christopher William Pigot, born in 1836, took the name of Robinson in 1857, under an inheritance from his maternal grandmother. In 1870 he married Mary Marianne Dunn-Gardner. Mary Robinson lived at Dullingham until she died, aged 91, in 1939. The estate then descended to her half brother’s daughter, Miriam Leader, who sold it in 1947 to F.B. Taylor. His son, P.B. Taylor divided up the property, the house, gardens and park being purchased by Angela Tompkins who, together with her father, developed the park as a race horse stud. In 1994 the house and its immediate grounds were purchased by Sir Martin and Lady Nourse and the stable courtyard developed for private housing. The site remains in divided, private ownership.
The gardens immediately surrounding Dullingham House are being restored by Lady Nourse and are occasionally open to the public through The National Gardens Scheme.
Repton and Dullingham House
These two sketches created in 1801 by Humphry Repton depict his proposals for landscaping the gardens of Dullingham House
Dullingham House before demolition of
the East and West Wing
(courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
Photo 11 - After being used by the army in the Second World War, Dullingham House was once again altered, this time a large section was taken off each end of the house.
Rear of Dullingham House showing original
wings.
(courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
Photo 7 is a view of the rear of Dullingham House overlooking the rose garden. The photograph was taken before almost 50% of the house was demolished.
The Porter's Lodge
(courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
Photo 67 shows The Porter's Lodge located on the Newmarket side of Dullingham House. It sits beside a pair of ornate iron gates and adjacent to the carriage drive.
Eagle Gate Cottages, Eagle Lane
(courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
This view of Eagle Gate Cottages located to the west of Dullingham House is probably the best and most exuberant example of cottage ornée architecture to be found in Dullingham.
Dullingham House Coachhouse and Stableyard
(courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
Originally a two carriage Coach House, Stables and Dairy, Over the archway the bell was rung by the Head Gardener at the start and finish of work. During the Second World War the buildings were used as an army billet. The buildings were converted in 1997 into four dwellings.
The Head Gardener's Office and Potting Shed
(Courtesy Joe Moore Archive)
The white gates on the left of Photo 94 are where the gardeners would pass through for work. Joe Moore recalls when he was a boy, if you wanted to enter, you had to ring the hand bell hanging outside and wait for the Head Gardener, Mr Whiterod, to appear. The Potting Shed is now an attractive private residence.
The Dullingham
Quit Rental 1692-1716
This document, purchased at auction with financial help from some Dullingham
residents. and now in Cambridge Central Library, is the most substantial
surviving record to show land ownership in the Manor of Dullingham at the turn
of the 17th - 18th century. It offers a 'snapshot' of the people who lived in
our village during this period. Click
here
for more information.