The History of The Hennikers & Thornham Hall

Thornham Hall has seen three significant phases. The Hennikers first knew it in the 1750’s when it was the Country Seat of Sir John Major. It was a perfect Tudor red brick moated hall with a classic straight and gated drive through the Park. The house was then expanded with a gracious Georgian façade. By Victorian times the Hennikers, who had married into the Major family, reached their most powerful and influential stage and Thornham Hall boasted 120 rooms and 27 gardeners. There were, according to records, 25 acres of formal gardens. Royal visitors were frequently entertained and the Shooting parties and Country House weekends at Thornham were splendid occasions.
The decline of the Hennikers, after the failure of the potato harvest in the 1890’s and the repeal of the Corn Laws, led to two thirds of the old hall being pulled down at the turn of the 20th century. The final third burned down in the late 1940’s. The modern 20th century Hall sits centrally on the original site and has magnificent views over the Thornham parkland.
The Henniker family seems characterised by a blend of military achievement and certain unconventionality. A letter of appreciation from a past guest staying with Lesley not too long ago at Thornham Hall recalls a dinner party he attended. The company, he said ‘clearly covered the range from mildly eccentric through to virtually certifiable’
He goes on to suggest that in itself constituted a strong recommendation for staying at Thornham Hall, although asserting that the accommodation, the food and the warm hospitality were definitely equal attractions. (history of Lady Henniker Apple)