Visitors are being urged to stay the night at a historic Jacobean house described as one of the finest in the West Country.
The Alex Moulton Charitable Trust is encouraging visitors to come and stay at The Hall in Bradford on Avon following an extensive £100,000 refurbishment programme over the past six months.
The Trust was set up in 1977 by the English inventor and engineer Dr Alex Moulton to preserve, restore, maintain and enhance the grounds and buildings of The Hall.
Alex Moulton founded the Moulton Bicycle company in 1962 after previously designing the "hydrolastic" and rubber cone suspension systems for the BMC Mini motorcars designed by his friend Alec Issigonis.
He was the great-grandson of the rubber pioneer Stephen Moulton, the founder of the family rubber business called George Spencer, Moulton & Co. Ltd, which later became Avon Rubber based in Bradford on Avon.
Following Alex Moulton’s death in December 2012, the Trust has been responsible for looking after The Hall and its grounds.
Now the Trust is inviting visitors to come and stay in the Grade I listed mansion set within private gated grounds nestled in the picturesque market town on the southern edge of the Cotswolds.
In a post on local social media, the Trust's chief executive Christine Olivieri says: “We cordially invite you to stay with us at Moulton Hall.
“Stay in our newly-refurbished extraordinary rooms and enjoy the luxury and the stories they tell.”
Steeped in history and described as one of the finest houses in the West Country, the Trust says visitors will have a unique opportunity to stay on an enchanting 16th-century estate.
Its website adds: “Moulton Hall boasts a collection of three newly refurbished spectacular bedrooms across three floors.
“Each unique and self-contained room tells its own story of the distinguished, illustrious, eccentric figures who once resided within.”
They include the Kingston Room, named after the notorious Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston, whose bigamous relationship with Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston, scandalised 18th century Georgian society.
Notorious for her topless masquerade costumes and about a decade younger than her lover, the controversial couple would cohabit unmarried for close to 20 years before marrying in 1769.
The other two rooms include the Moulton, once occupied by the inventor as his main bedroom, and the newly-refurbished and self-contained Eric, named after Charles ‘Eric’ Moulton, second son of John and Alice Blanche Moulton.
The striking Jacobean mansion has been a local landmark for generations and thoughtful extensive restoration has now ensured that its traditional character has been faithfully preserved.
The Trust says: “The manor and its surrounding grounds now provide a boutique guest experience for those seeking a country escape and idyllic retreat for families, friends, and celebrations."
It adds that The Hall is "a superb base for you to experience and explore the grounds and a short walk into Bradford on Avon town centre."
The Hall retains many of its original features, including the three-gable south front which is notable for having “more glass than wall”, and is an outstanding example of early Jacobean architecture.
It was built around 1610 by John Hall, whose family had been in Bradford on Avon since medieval times.
However, visitors should be warned that the Trust is keen to attract only adults to stay at The Hall. It has a no-infants or children, no pets and strictly no-smoking policy.
And they will only be given keycode access to the front door and their bedrooms. The rest of The Hall will be out of bounds until guided tours begin on March 29.
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