Story of the Berners family 250 years told over a special weekend
By Nub News guest writer
25th Jun 2023 | Local Features
When Geoffrey Berners sold the Woolverstone Hall estate in 1937, it covered 10 square miles of beautiful unspoilt countryside, 6,042 acres, in seven parishes on the Shotley Peninsula.
The story of how the estate grew from 350 acres in 1773 is part of the story of our Peninsula.
This is the story of the Berners 250th weekend.
The Berners family trace their roots back to at least the time of William the Conqueror when Hugo de Berners and his son, Raphe, "Captain of the Crossbow men", came to England with Duke William of Normandy and fought at the battle of Hastings. They received rewards of land and wealth for their staunch support but their fortunes rose and fell through the next five centuries; titles and land were won and lost.
Our part in the Berners' story starts in the age of Elizabeth 1 and Shakespeare, around 1600 with Josias Berners, the son of a London silk merchant, William Berners. Josias, a supporter of Cromwell and Parliament, made some lucrative investments that would bring wealth to his descendants for the next three hundred years.
The subsequent part of the Berners' story is one of judicious investment, fortuitous inheritance and profitable marriage. So much so, that on 13th August 1773, another William Berners, purchased the Woolverstone Park estate and farm, in all about 350 acres at an auction run by "Langfords" of Covent Garden, for the sum of £11,440. William had been living in the old Woolverstone manor house for the previous thirty years. He immediately set about building the new Woolverstone Hall which was completed three years later in 1776.
With their wealth, succeeding generations of Berners were able to buy more land in Woolverstone and surrounding villages. Each squire added his own layer of history to the Shotley Peninsula until by the nineteenth century the Berners family were among the leading landed families in the Samford Hundred and in Suffolk itself. They also owned hugely valuable land in London. Their wealth was compared to the Duke of Portland. The Berners rubbed shoulders with the great and the good in Suffolk and London yet they showed considerable kindness and care to their tenants.
Many of the villages on the Peninsula were shaped by the Berners family, especially Woolverstone. With their wealth they built farms, houses, cottages, village halls, extended churches and shaped the roads across the Peninsula. The "pattern" village of Woolverstone was directly shaped by them. In fact, it is hard to understand the Shotley Peninsula without understanding the story of the Berners family.
To mark this 250th anniversary, Friends of Woolverstone have co-ordinated a project designed to share information about the Berners family as widely as possible across the Shotley Peninsula and further afield.
The Reading Room Woolverstone, Berners Hall, early C20
The Berners 250th exhibition in Berners Hall on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th July brings the Berners' story into one place, explaining characters, connections and timelines. A visitor to the exhibition will leave with a greater understanding about the Berners and their importance on the development of the peninsula. A combination of information boards, photographs and artefacts will lead the visitor through the Berners' story.
Mostly, this is a story about people and their part in the development of the Woolverstone Park estate. It is also a story about places. There are eighteen listed structures in Woolverstone, a lot for a village of around 260 souls. The exhibition shows their place and why Woolverstone is worthy of Conservation Area status. View maps of the Berners' estates in both Suffolk and London. View a unique collection of vintage photographs from private collections.
Many of these have not been seen widely before. Some of these historic photographs will also be compared to their contemporary settings. Light refreshments will be available.
Apart from the exhibition, there is an opportunity to attend an illustrated talk, "The Berners Family of Woolverstone", with local author Simon Pearce. There is a choice of two nights, Thursday 6th July or Friday 7th July at 7:30 in Berners Hall. The talk looks closely at the Berners family history from 1600. The £10 ticket includes a glass of wine.
As part of the project, a colourful new heritage map has been designed for a walking trail to visit many of historic buildings in the village with some explanatory notes about their history on the reverse. The illustrations have been produced by hugely talented local artist, Anne Plummer. The map will be of interest to both new visitors and old.
Ipswich High School have kindly offered to open Woolverstone Hall and the grounds over the weekend. (Sat and Sun 10:00 – 4:00 pm). There is an old boys' cricket match on Saturday afternoon. This is a golden opportunity to wander the gardens and take in the dramatic views down the Orwell.
Just for this weekend, there is the chance to visit the Woolverstone Hall ice house, courtesy of the land owner. There is also an opportunity to visit the gardens of Woolverstone House on the morning of Saturday 8th (10:00 am – 1:00 pm) or the Walled Garden on the afternoon of Sunday 9th (12:00 noon – 4:00 pm).
Come to the "Berners Family of Woolverstone" illustrated talk and talk a walk through the intimate history of the Berners from 1600 - 1937.
Make a date in your diary to stop by and see the exhibition during the weekend of 8th and 9th July and learn about the Berners family and its impact on the heritage of Woolverstone and the wider Shotley Peninsula. There is good parking close to Berners Hall.
For further information phone Simon on 07826708171 Or, Email [email protected]
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