The History of Beaumanor Hall
Beaumanor Hall has a rich and varied history. Built between 1842 and 1854 by architect William Railton for the Herrick family, it remained in their possession until World War II when the estate was requisitioned by the War Office. Throughout the war the Hall was used as a secret listening station to intercept encrypted enemy signals. The Hall was bought by Leicestershire County Council in 1974 for use as an education and conference centre.
Hall and Park Tours
Guided tours are held at Beaumanor including the main hall, cellars as well as some of the buildings erected around the grounds. Our guides are extremely knowledgeable and help bring the amazing Victorian and WW2 history of Beaumanor Hall to life. Each tour lasts approximately 3.5 hours and includes a break for refreshments and biscuits.
Y Station
Y Stations were British Signals Intelligence collection sites used during World War II. These sites collected traffic which was then passed for processing to the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. The traffic was recorded by hand and sent to Bletchley, on paper by motorcycle couriers, or later, by teleprinter over post office land lines.
Beaumanor Hall was requisitioned by the War Office in 1940 and set up as a Y Station. Buildings were erected in the grounds (which are still in place) disguised as cottages, barns, stables etc. These housed the intercept personnel listening for German and Italian encrypted messages. We are always very happy to talk to anyone who has knowledge or memories of Beaumanor during the war and especially of its links with Bletchley Park. Please call 0116 305 3468 or Beaumanor.Hall@leics.gov.uk.
Beaumanor War and Peace: The Curzon Herrick Years, 1915 – 1939, Caroline Wessel
This is Leicestershire’s Downton Abbey…
This brand new publication is now available to buy at Beaumanor Hall reception. The book delves into the most extraordinary and almost unbelievable stories you just cannot afford to miss.
When the elderly but childless benefactor, Mrs Perry Herrick, died in 1915, the 320 years of Herrick ownership of Beaumanor Park came to an end.
William Curzon, the grandson of 1st Earl Howe then inherited the vast Beaumanor estates. Until now, very little has been known about life at Beaumanor in the Edwardian era, during WW1, or in the 1920s.
But recent meticulous and extensive research, unexpected access to revealing private correspondence, contact with present-day relatives, and the discovery of a huge hoard of hitherto uncatalogued documents, has uncovered some astonishing – and even shocking – facts.
Now available to buy at Beaumanor Hall Reception – £12.00 (cash only payment)