Hellens Manor, Herefordshire
Hellens Manor in Herefordshire is one of the oldest dwellings in England, being composed primarily of Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian architecture but with foundations from the 12th century.
The Hellens, as it stands today, is predominantly a Jacobean red-brick manor, arranged around a charming cobbled courtyard, with beautifully maintained gardens at the back.
For more than 700 years, it has remained in the care of the same family, though their surname has evolved over the centuries since the house was first constructed in the early 13th century.
It houses a remarkable collection of artefacts such as books, furniture, paintings, and objets d'art.
Photo: Hellens Manor
Among its treasures are items linked to historical figures like Anne Boleyn, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Charles I, Charles II, and Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton, as well as objects from the house’s long line of inhabitants.
Notably, the home displays a pardon granted to Richard Walwyn by Elizabeth I.
In the 'Hetty Walwyn's Room', an 18th century resident tragically confined there by her mother following a failed elopement, an inscription on a window pane says: "It is a part of virtue to abstain from what we love if it will prove our bane."
Our favourite thing about this historic landmark is the paintings on display.
The paintings at Hellens are a fascinating amalgam of several different collections, principally the Wharton Collection, formed chiefly through inheritance and marriage, which chart the shifting political, social and economic fortunes of the families whose history they record.
The highlights range from impressive full-lengths by Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) to tiny miniatures by Hilliard and Samuel Cooper, as well as fine examples by Hogarth and Gainsborough.
Photo: Hellens Manor
Numerous portraits by lesser-known artists also have their fascination, offering vivid glimpses into the past, and the stories behind the faces.
The surrounding gardens reflect Tudor architecture and Jacobean design, featuring a walled knot garden, a yew labyrinth, a Physic Garden, and a 17th century octagonal dovecote.
Visitors can also explore a woodland and pond walk, and an ancient cider mill, still in use every autumn during the Big Apple weekend for making perry and cider.
The stables house a Derby coach.
Additionally, Hellens boasts restored 16th century Tythe and Wain Barns, now serving as venues for concerts, educational visits, community projects, and events.
The Georgian stables have been converted into residential spaces, preserving the estate's historical charm.
Photo: Hellens Manor
History of the house
Earl Harold Godwinson, later King Harold, was Lord of Merkelan (Much Marcle), including Hellens, from 1057 until his death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Afterward, William the Conqueror granted the manor to his standard bearer, Walter de Lacy.
By 1096, the manor passed to the de Balun family, who later witnessed the signing of the Magna Carta.
Hellens, then known as Helyons, was first mentioned in 1180.
In 1275, Sir Walter de Balun married Yseult, sister of Lord Roger Mortimer, and after Walter’s death, she wed Sir Hugh Audley.
Yseult’s brother, Roger Mortimer, and Queen Isabella of France plotted the murder of King Edward II in 1326, and both are said to have waited at Hellens for the Great Seal of England.
Photo: Hellens Manor
In 1337, Hugh Audley was made Earl of Gloucester, and after his death, the manor passed to his nephew Sir James Audley, a hero of the Crecy and Poitiers battles.
Sir James leased Hellens to Walter de Helyon, whose family eventually passed it to the Walwyns.
Hellens remained in the Walwyn family, later merging with the Cooke family.
Charles Cooke, MP for Hereford, was born there, and by 1930, it was sold to Lady Helena Gleichen, Queen Victoria’s great-niece.
The estate is now managed by the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Charity Trust, hosting cultural events like the Ledbury Poetry Festival, Hellensmusic festival, and a Forest Schools initiative. Hellens still functions as a family home.
According to their website, Hellens is open on Wednesdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 10.30am – 5.00pm.
Admission to the gardens and tearoom is free (donations are invited) and there is no need to book in advance.
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