Lamport Hall

. In 1568 John Isham, a wealthy wool merchant, built a manor house on the Lamport Estate. His grandson, also named John, became the first baronet in 1627 during the reign of Charles I. He extended the house considerably. However, the only remains of this structure is a section of the present stable wing. It was Sir Justinian Isham who built the main existing building. In 1655 he commissioned John Webb, a pupil of Inigo Jones, to design a large two-story home. The next major additions were to the south-west front and the north. These were completed in 1741. The gates on the main road date from 1824 and were designed by Henry Hakewill In 1842 further major rebuilding of the south east front was completed, and later Sir Charles Isham commissioned the building of a new façade with porch to the north-west front, which is now the distinctive main entrance to the Hall. This was completed in 1862. The tower was built about the same time. The hall trust released an official apology, explaining it was meant as a showcase for amateur musicians. ==Sir Charles Isham==

c. 1850. near the gates at Lamport Hall when he was aged about 80. Charles Isham inherited Lamport Hall at about the age of 26 in 1846 when his elder brother Justinian died. He had a particular interest in gardening and his garden featured in many of the journals of that day. Of particular interest to many of the journalists was the rockery which still exists today. Some of the descriptions of this feature were as follows. In 1872 the Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman made the following comment. In 1897 the Gardeners Chronicle said This rockery was particularly noted for the gnomes that it housed. The magazine called The Garden contained the following description of them. Photos of the rockery and gnomes are shown in the gallery below. One of the gnomes in this remarkable rockery survives and is on view at Lamport Hall today. A photo of the replica of this gnome is shown below. ==The Library==

In 1867 a number of rare volumes of Elizabethan prose and poetry were found in an attic. The story of the discovery was told on its centenary in the words of bookseller, Charles Edmond who observed the discovery would "warm the heart of the most cold-blooded bibliomaniac." These included first editions of John Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. bound in sheepskin. ==In popular culture==

Lamport Hall was used to depict Clarence House in the Netflix series The Crown. The exterior was also used to double for the stables at Windsor Castle. ==Image gallery: The rockery and gnomes in 1897==

File:Rockery 1897.jpg|The rockery in 1897 showing the miniature plants File:Gnomes on strike 1897.jpg|A group of gnomes who represent miners on strike in 1897 File:Gnomes Lamport Hall 1897.jpg|Gnomes on the rockery who are engaged in mining activities in 1897 File:Gnomes Lamport Hall 1898.jpg|Gnomes in the rockery in 1898 with accompanying story written by Sir Charles Isham File:Gnomes Lamport Hall 1898 2.jpg|Gnomes in the rockery in 1898 with accompanying story by Sir Charles Isham File:The "Gnome Rockery" at Lamport Hall - geograph.org.uk - 411190.jpg|The rockery today, which can be seen at Lamport Hall File:lamport-gnome-replica-amoswolfe.jpg|A replica of Lampy the Lamport gnome, which is the only surviving gnome == See also ==