Listening to the story of The North family and Two Kirtling Churches by Anthony Foreman was the perfect way to spend a cold winter’s evening.
Starting at the time of the Tudors and coming up to the 1930s there were eleven Barons and all had fascinating lives. Edward, the first Lord North (1504-1564) was the son of haberdashers who studied law at Cambridge and became a clerk to parliament under Thomas Cromwell. He was knighted, was High Sheriff of Cambridge and given the estate of Kirtling where he built a splendid house and the church contains his impressive tomb. The towers of the house still stand today.
His son, Roger, also lived at Kirtling and entertained Queen Elizabeth there in 1578. Details survive of the food that was to be sourced locally for the visit and they include 4,800 loaves of bread, 11 cattle, 32 swans, 333 capons and 2,000 eggs for the three day party! Quite an event but essential to be in favour with the Queen. It cost Roger £642, £132,000 in today’s money!
The most famous of the North family was the 8th Baron, Frederick, who became Prime Minister and lost us the American colonies.
Kirtling Towers was left to fall down and everything except the towers was demolished in 1872.
William, the eleventh Baron (1836-1932)came back to Kirtling to be a country squire. He built the Victorian part of the property, still lived in today by Lady Fairhaven. He and his wife were Roman Catholics and had the church of Mary the Immaculate and St Philip Neri built by Charles Butler. It contains stained glass from the original chapel of the Tudor house.
There are beautiful walks around Kirtling Tower and the two churches and Anthony urged us to go and look more closely at these interesting buildings.
Next meeting is on Tuesday 15th of March when Dr Nick Amor will talk on ‘Keeping the Peace in Medieval Suffolk’. A warm welcome is assured.