Harvington Hall


Harvington Hall is a moated medieval and Elizabethan manor house in the hamlet of Harvington in the civil parish of Chaddesley Corbett, south-east of Kidderminster in the English county of Worcestershire.
It is open to the public.

History

Harvington Hall belonged to the Catholic Pakington family. It was constructed by Humphrey Packington during the 1580s. Mary Yate, daughter of Humphrey, came into possession of Harvington Hall upon his death on August 6, 1631. She became Catholic upon her marriage to Sir John Yate. She founded the Dame Mary Yate almshouses on Harvington Hall Lane.
In 1647 it was pillaged by Roundhead troops. The Hall later passed by marriage to the Throckmorton family from nearby Coughton Court. During the 19th century it was stripped of furniture and panelling and the shell was left almost derelict.
From 1722 till his death in 1743, Hugh Tootell served as one of the chaplains to Robert Throckmorton. It was here that he wrote The Church History of England from 1500 to 1688, which was published under the pen name "Charles Dodd", a name Tootell had adopted as a student to spare his family the penalty under the Penal Laws for sending him abroad to school.

Since 1923, Harvington Hall has belonged to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and is particularly notable for its vestment-hide and seven priest-holes, four of which are built around the main staircase and are thought to be the work of Nicholas Owen. The false fireplace in the Marble Room led to two hides in the attics. An altar stone is said to have been discovered in a secret recess in one of the angle turrets.
Harvington Hall was given to the Archdiocese of Birmingham by Ellen Ferris, whose son Robert was Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1970 to 1974 and later became Lord Harvington.

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