The beautiful and historic Norfolk home of the controversial government minister, the late Sir Samuel Hoare, a onetime MI6 officer in Russia who became Churchill’s ambassador in Spain during WW2.
Talks will be given by Dr Peter Martland of Cambridge University, Eddie Anderson and Jimmy Burns and time will be given to view the collection and garden.
- Date and Time: Saturday 4th June, 12.30 pm reception, 14.00 pm talks
- Price: £40 members/£47.50 non-members (includes sherry reception and lunch, please note transport is not included)
- Please send cheque payment with the names of the guests, to the Events Secretary to the main postal address – or request bank details for transfer. All cheques should be made payable to ‘The Anglo-Spanish Society’. Ticket booking deadline: Thursday 26 May
The Anglo-Spanish Society Summer Event
An exclusive private visit to the Palladian villa of the late Sir Samuel Hoare,
British Ambassador to Spain 1940-44 with lunch and three short lectures
Saturday 4th June at Templewood, Norfolk
Sherry Reception & Lunch 12.45pm, Talks 2.15-4.30-pm
There will be time to view the private collection and garden
Speakers: Eddie Anderson, Jimmy Burns and Dr Peter Martland
Introduction
Samuel Hoare, 1st Viscount Templewood GCSI, GBE, CMG, PC (24 February 1880 – 7 May 1959) better known as Sir Samuel, was a secret intelligence service (MI6) officer in pre-revolutionary Russia, and Italy, who later became a senior British Conservative politician and served in various Cabinet posts in the Conservative and National governments of the 1920s and 1930s. He was Secretary of State for Air during most of the 1920s and briefly again in 1940. He also served as Home Secretary from 1937 to 1939. He is perhaps most famous for serving as Foreign Secretary in 1935, when he authored the Hoare–Laval Pact with French Prime Minister Pierre Laval and as Churchill’s ambassador to Spain from 1940 to 1944 during which he played a critical role in countering Nazi influence on the Franco regime and stopping the Germans from militarily occupying Spain.
Sir Samuel was born into a hugely successful family with high moral ideals based upon their Quaker ideology. His father was a wealthy banker and Member of Parliament for Norwich for 20 years – but whose principal interest seemed to be shooting game birds, an obsession which caused him to buy farmland in Norfolk. After World War II, Sir Samuel became Viscount Templewood and tried to devote as much time as possible at his country villa, playing tennis, planting exotic trees and waiting for cold weather to bring woodcock within range of his shotgun and to freeze his “reflecting pool” sufficiently hard for ice skating.
Templewood is a small Palladian villa in the remote parish of Northrepps in north Norfolk. The house was built in 1938 by Sir Samuel Hoare – Lord Templewood-as a country retreat away from his hectic life in London as a politician and statesman. Originally intended as little more than a “shooting box” to provide a modicum of comfort during weekends of pheasant shooting, Templewood grew in scale as more and more influences were brought to the drawing board.In his final book “The Unbroken Thread”, Hoare describes his dream house as “my Petit Trianon” likening it to Marie Antoinette’s play palace at Versailles.
It is approached via avenues of Sweet Chestnut to reflect his wife’s French ancestry; the scale and colour to be like Russian country Dachas he had visited before the Revolution; with formal pots on the roofline reminding him of the Spanish Casitas of the Bourbon kings. Inside would consist of one enormous room for entertaining, modelled on the library in Admiralty House in London. Surrounding this central saloon, small self contained bedroom suites.This altogether grander project was completed barely one year before the outbreak of the Second World War which would take him away to Madrid as British Ambassador until 1944.
After his death in 1959 the house was inherited by his nephew Paul Paget – who was also its architect. In 1971, Paul Paget married the author Verily Anderson when the house became the centre of her wide spreading family. Paul and Verily shared not only a common ancestry but were famous for their enthusiasm for hospitality and fun. Today it is the home of her son Eddie Anderson and his wife Tina who maintain the original spirit of a lively country house set in its own parkland, where recognition of the past is quite as important as the present.
This visit is kindly hosted by the owners of Templewood, Eddie and Tina Anderson.
Notes on the Lecturers
Eddie Anderson,writer and TV producer. Jimmy Burns, author, journalist and Deputy Chairman Anglo Spanish Society. Dr Peter Martland, author, lecturer in history with Pembroke College’s International Programme, affiliated lecturer Faculty of History, Cambridge University.
Background Reading
Reading: "The Unbroken Thread" by Viscount Templewood published by Collins, order through Abebooks.; Papa Spy: Love, Faith & Betrayal in Wartime Spain by Jimmy Burns (Bloomsbury) available on Amazon and most good bookshops.
Directions by car
Templewood, Frogshall, Northrepps, Nr Cromer, Norfolk NR27 0LJ
Sat-Nav:
Programme for NR27 0LJ which brings you to the gateway of the drive, Templewood is at far end.
From Northrepps:
Northrepps is 4 miles SSE of Cromer.
Once in the village pass The Foundry Arms (only pub) on your RIGHT, take next Right into CRAFT LANE, stay on every-narrowing lane for 1 km through woods until Templewood avenue appears in front of you. Signed from there.
From Southrepps:
Sothrepps is 1 km south of Templewood.
Pass the Church on your RIGHT follow lane until Templewood Avenue appears on your right.
Directions by train
Booking www.thetrainline.com, please note that it is often cheaper to book two singles rather than a return. Tel 08457 48 49 50.
The nearest train station is Cromer, trains run direct from Norwich to Cromer, journey time 45 mins. From Cromer guests will take minicabs to Templewood, 10mins. The times from Norwich to Cromer are listed below as part of the journey from London.
Please book a mini cab independently to take you to Templewood from the train station and a mini cab for the return.
Also highly recommended:
It is recommended that those wishing to extend their weekend in Norfolk independently combine a stay in Norwich with a visit to its Cathedral and National Trust house Blickling Hall.
Not a member yet? Why not join our membership today? You can find an application form on our Membership page.
