The Hall Barn estate was bought by Anne Waller in 1624. The house was built in the late-17th century by her son
Edmund Waller, a poet and Member of Parliament at various times between 1624 and 1679. His grandson added the south wing. The estate was sold by his family in 1832 to
Sir Gore Ouseley, 1st Baronet, who rebuilt the southern facade and was
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire for 1835.
Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham bought the estate in 1880 and made a number of renovations and improvements, and in the early 21st century, the estate remained under the management
Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham. Since his death it has been the home of his sister, Jenefer Farncombe (nee Lawson). There were royal visits to the estate, including from the
Duke of Cambridge in November 1902, and from King
Edward VII and the Prince of Wales (later King
George V) for a shooting party in January 1903. The
Princess Royal "took the salute" at Hall Barn in the 1940s at the
Girl Guide County Rally. During the
Second World War, the house was used as a hospital supplies unit. In November 1946, the Hall Barn Estate was reported in
Tatler as being the "lovely home" and venue for the wedding reception for extended family and friends of the newly-wed daughter of the "charming"
Lord and Lady Burnham. In the late 1960s, Hall Barn was substantially remodelled by the noted neo-classical architect
Tom Bird (of Bird & Tyler Associates), with work completed in 1972. The Edwardian library and ballroom, which Lord Burnham considered ugly and difficult to heat (and which had unbalanced the late 17th century design), were pulled down, and a new south and east elevation created, using stone dressings and carved capitals from the demolished extensions. Despite the catalogue to the 1974 V&A exhibition
'The Destruction of the Country House' listing Hall Barn as 'partially destroyed', the remodelling returned the house to its
Queen Anne core and saved Hall Barn from total destruction. Hall Barn is
listed Grade II* on the
National Heritage List for England, and its landscaped park and gardens are also Grade II listed on the
Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The
boathouse, the
obelisk, and the "Temple of Venus" pavilion on the estate all date to the 18th century and are also listed as Grade II*. == Filming location ==