Ever wanted to spend the night in a Cotswold stately home? The Hall is a Grade I-listed Jacobean mansion, in a gated estate tucked away just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Bradford on Avon. It was a private residence from 1610 to 2012 before being opened to the public.
And from this year you can stay the night. With just three luxuriously refurbished bedrooms there’s a really exclusive feel, perfect for living out your lord or lady of the manor fantasies. Find out more about its fascinating history, rooms and facilities in our review of The Hall Bradford on Avon.
AD: Our stay was hosted by The Moulton Trust but all opinions are our own.
The history of The Hall
Bradford on Avon was an important centre for the wool industry from the 14th–18th century. And with it came wealth and power – including for local mill owner John Hall. In 1610 he had The Hall built on the site of an older medieval manor house to show off his wealth and status. And it certainly did – being described as ‘the best-built house for the quality of a gentleman in Wiltshire’.
After Hall’s grandson’s death, the house passed to his illegitimate daughter Rachel Baynton, later to become the Countess of Kingston. And the family found themselves embroiled in a Georgian scandal when Rachel’s son, the 2nd Duke of Kingston, married his mistress Elizabeth Chudleigh.
After the Duke died, it was discovered that Elizabeth had already been secretly married and her first husband was still alive. So in 1776 she became the first woman in Britain to be tried for bigamy. The five-day trial was a huge sensation, with over 4000 spectators. She was unanimously found guilty but escaped to Europe to avoid punishment, eventually dying in Paris in 1788.
In 1805, the Hall and surrounding estate were bought by London industrialist Thomas Divett. He built a new cloth factory, Kingston Mill, on the land and used the house as a workshop and accommodation for weavers. But as the woollen industry declined, so did The Hall with it.
By 1848 it had been sold again, this time to Stephen Moulton, a pioneer in rubber engineering who opened rubber factories in Bradford’s abandoned mills. He restored The Hall and passed it down through four generations of his family, until it reached his great-grandson Alex Moulton.
Dr Alex Moulton was an inventor an engineer, best-known for inventing the rubber suspension systems used in cars like the Mini. He also created the Moulton Bicycle, which is still made in the grounds of The Hall today. When he died in 2012 he left the house to The Moulton Trust, which he’d established to help preserve and maintain the building and open it to the local community.
Along with the house he left a fascinating collection of artefacts, which are still being archived. The Hall is open for guided tours every month. And since early 2024 visitors can also stay overnight, helping support the trust and giving people the chance to stay in a real stately home.
Rooms at The Hall
The Hall currently has three self-contained guest bedrooms, set across three floors. Each of them is named after one of the house’s past residents, with interesting glimpses into their life stories. Our first-floor room, the Kingston, was inspired by the bigamous Duchess of Kingston.
The first thing you notice is the space. A hallway leads into the bedroom suite, decorated with vibrant floral wallpaper. As well as an iron-framed super-king-sized bed, there’s a seating area with reupholstered sofa and chair. And 17th century-stained glass windows overlook the gardens.
Interesting antiques, artworks and mementos have been chosen from The Hall’s collections to decorate each of the rooms. For ours they included a vintage writing desk, Stephen Moulton’s 19th-century carriage trunk, illustrations of the Duchess and a book about her life.
The en-suite bathroom has a roll-top slipper bath and separate rainfall shower. Embroidered dressing gowns and slippers (a must to protect the thick fluffy carpets) give it a luxurious feel. And there are the necessary comforts of the 21st-century like wifi and a television too.
There’s also the Moulton room, which was once Alex Moulton’s bedroom. It’s decorated with his portraits and certificates, with a wow-factor seven-foot-wide four-poster bed. And the ground-floor Eric room takes its name from Charles ‘Eric’ Moulton who was killed in the Battle of the Somme. Once an office, it’s now restfully decorated with the colours of his Wiltshire Regiment.
With so much space there’s plenty of scope for more rooms to come, both in the house and in some of the cottages in the grounds. But for now having just three rooms gives it an exclusive feel.
Facilities at The Hall
The Hall isn’t a hotel, so you won’t find a restaurant or spa. Instead it’s a much more peaceful and private experience, perfect for a romantic break. Entry is via a keypad system so you can come and go as you please – and despite all rooms being full we didn’t even see any other guests.
You’re supplied with a breakfast hamper and a mini fridge for all the essentials, with cereals, pastries, juice, tea and coffee (as well as a few nice extras like mini Prosecco and snacks). Bradford on Avon is just a few minutes’ walk away and has some great cafés and restaurants. Our top picks for dinner are Pablo’s for tapas, Ravello for Italian and The Bunch of Grapes’ tasting menu.
Although overnight guests can’t access the rest of the house – unless you book one of the monthly tours – you do get unlimited access to the Hall’s gardens. They cover seven acres, stretching down to the banks of the River Avon. There are lawns, ponds, garden temples and towering redwood trees. So there’s plenty of space for a stroll, a picnic or an evening drink on the terrace.
Look out for the cycle path which runs around the edge of the gardens too. Alex Moulton built it to keep fit as he got older and to test out the latest models of his bicycles. There’s also a lawn alongside the house which can be used for weddings if you want to get hitched in stately style.
What to do nearby
Bradford on Avon is a lovely town to explore, with both the River Avon and the Kennet and Avon Canal running through it. You can find out about local history at the Bradford on Avon Museum, visit the 14th-century tithe barn and the rare Anglo-Saxon Church of St Laurence. And don’t miss a traditional afternoon tea on bone china in the much-photographed Bridge Tea Rooms.
There are also several country houses and gardens within easy reach, including National Trust sites Westwood Manor (1.8 miles) and Great Chalfield Manor (3 miles), and the Italian-style gardens at Iford Manor (2.4 miles). And it’s 9 miles to the picturesque village of Lacock.
If you fancy a walk, it’s only 1.5 miles along the canal to Avoncliff, where you can pick up the train back to Bradford on Avon or on to Bath. Or carry on past the Dundas Aqueduct and over Claverton Down to reach Bath in 7.5 miles. Bath has lots to see, including its museums, the Abbey and Roman Baths, and is only eight miles’ drive away from Bradford on Avon (or 15 minutes by train).
The details
Parking and transport: Bradford on Avon train station is a 10-minute walk away, with direct trains to Bath, Bristol and Salisbury. Or there’s private guest parking in front of The Hall.
Dogs and children: Unfortunately no dogs or children permitted.
Prices: Rooms at The Hall start from £180 a night bed and breakfast.
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