 |
| Haresfoot, Berkhampstead |
|
"The various branches of the SMITH family, of Woodhall, of Shottesbrooke, of Longhills, formerly of Hertingfordbury, formerly of Midhurst, formerly of Wilford and formerly of Woodhill, as well as SMITH-DORRIEN-SMITH of Tresco and SMITH-BOSANQLET formerly of Broxbornebury, while descended from Sir John Smith, Second Baron of the Exchequer in the reign of Henry VIII, owe their present position to their eighteenth century forebears who were bankers in Nottingham and afterwards in London.
The merchants and bankers of the provincial cities founded many landed families, particularly in the counties adjoining the cities from which they sprang."
(from Burkes Scotland)
|
|
|
On the site of "Harefordshende", a medieval farmstead, a mansion was built in 1787.
It became the residence of the Smith-Dorriens, a well known banking family.
The walled garden and pedimented Georgian coach house and stables, which have since been transformed into a school building, are survivors of those elegant times.
Within the grounds of the Georgian house were stables, a tennis court, bakery, brewery and an ice-house.
The old house burned down in 1965.
|
|