Widmerpool - History

History

The history of the village is intrinsically linked to that of the family of the manor. A manor house is thought to have been present since Henricus de Diddisworth adopted the name of Widmerpool to gain the estate for his family in 1216. A "Widmerpool" family is recorded in 1283 in the village and a John de Widmerpool attended a parliament in York in 1333. Since that time ownership of parts of the estate was, in the 17th and 18th centuries, contested by the Heriz, Pierrepont and Cromwell families it remained in Widmerpool ownership until the early 19th century. The estate was then acquired by the Robertson (sometimes spelt Robinson)family. The Robertsons, famous for their jam, then embarked upon rebuilding of much of the estate including some of the oldest surviving buildings such as Gardener's Cottage, the Coach House, Home Farm and the Old School House. Widmerpool Hall on the north side of the village was built in 1872 for Major George Coke Robertson to the designs of Henry Clutton (designer of Lille Cathederal). This neo Gothic manor house was constructed of Bath and Clipsham stone and has an Italianate, gargoyle adorned clock-tower without a clock. The space for the clock was left blank out of respect for Robertson's recently deceased wife. It remained a private residence until the breakup of the estate in the 1950s then, for several decades at the end of the twentieth century, it was the HQ of the AA Patrol Service Training School, popularly known as 'The AA Academy'. Between 2008 and 2010 it underwent extensive renovation for residential purposes; and this has provided 9 apartments, 11 mews style houses and 4 detached houses. The hall is grade 2 listed.