History
In the early 1900s, Eton educated American Charles Tuller Garland, son of the co-founder of the New York based National City Bank, decided to build a house in South Warwickshire countryside, with views over the River Avon valley. Designed by the fashionable society architect and decorator W. H. Romaine-Walker, it was inspired by Wilton House near Salisbury, and given a Palladian style. Built in 1906/7, designed for lavish entertaining, the Hall has sumptuous plasterwork, particularly in the barrel-vault-ed great hall, library and dining room. Romaine-Walker also landscaped the grounds, with a Wellingtonia-lined drive leading to the hall, its manicured blue garden, polo school and other equestrian facilities. In 1913 Moreton Hall and the associated Morton Farm were purchased by Gilbert Player.
On 19 March 2008 a fire broke out at 16:30 in the roof of Moreton Hall, after students at the agricultural college occupying the house had left for the weekend. Eighty firefighters tackled the blaze with 15 appliances from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service sent to help to extinguish the flames, which could be seen three miles away as they leapt into the sky. The damage was estimated to about £6 million. On 9 January 2009 Sky News reported Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service as having discovered that the fire was caused by a cigarette discarded by a plumber who was carrying out maintenance work in the roof space.
Restoration work was expected to begin in 2009 and to be completed the following year.
Read more about this topic: Moreton Hall
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—Jonathan Raban (b. 1942)
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—Aristotle (384–322 B.C.)