Dismantling of a Lordship

Lords of Hunstanton have enjoyed the Title, Lord High Admiral of the Wash, allowing them to own as far out into the Sea (The Wash) as far as they could throw a spear. (see book Keepers of the Kingdom) In modern day it also translates to the Hunstanton Estate having responsibility over breached whales on the beach.

Since the Spring of 1496, the land of Hunstanton had become a unique community supported by the Manorial Lordship who assumed responsibility for his villagers. Sir Roger le Strange (c.1446-1506), Esquire to the Bodyof Henry VII, took an opportunity to buy out one other remaining Lord between the lands of le Strange ownership.

Having amalgamated, 400 years later we find a transfer of power was initiated to local councils when the Local Government Act 1894 was passed. Another approx. 50 years after  that, in the 1940’s, the Welfare system began.

Henry Styleman le Strange who proudly produced high quality crops (wheat and corn) had already encountered challenges when his community began opting for cheaper food imports triggering a turning point for the Estate which was perhaps a sign of changing times.

The transfer of power and money from Estate owners to Lloyd George’s Government in the 1940’s led to many ancestral homes being sold after WW2.

It was during the Heir Duty of Hamon le Strange’s grandson, our 34th Heir of Hunstanton, when this became reality.

Bernard le Strange (1900-1958) was a Grandson of Henry Styleman le Strange (1815-1862), had been instilled, no doubt, with sense of duty to the Town and Estate following its Seaside development.  But with the new welfare & benefits system relieving him of his responsibilities within his community he became, in one sense, surplus to their needs. 

It was under his Heir Duty when the ancestral home and its contents were sold in 1949. The contents included the Hunstanton Hall Organ traced across America to Historic St. Lukes Church (see restoration details). At the same time, Bernard he and his wife, with whom he had a brief 3 year marriage, separated.

Life at the Hall with increasing taxation was no longer feasible. The incremental dissection of power - perhaps still evolving forced him out of the ancestral home of 856 years. It was auctioned through Cruso and Wilkins.

Bernard was the 25th great-grandson of Ralph of Hunstanton, and married a little later in life, in October 1943, aged 43. He had lost both parents as a youth aged 19. His older brother Charles had assumed ‘Heir Duty’ in 1919. Bernard inherited the Hall in 1933 having already fought in WW1. By the time Bernard married, he had served in both World Wars.

Bernard’s aim in selling the ancestral home was to save the Estate from crippling Taxation rates. Upon selling, he and his wife Glwadys, the Marshioness of Townshend, went their separate ways - they became ‘estranged’ as one might say! He retired in Jersey, while she went to live in London. It would perhaps have been natural to expect some sort of separation agreement from the proceeds of the ancestral home. For the 3 years of their short marriage the post war years of peace and parties led to her reduced popularity within the le Strange  network.

In one sense, Bernard has saved the Estate for it still thrives under le Strange Family, albeit, excluding the Home. In his day the National Trust could not afford to buy out properties like Hunstanton Hall, so that was not an option for him at the time.

During my childhood the Family had the opportunity to once again keep their foot in the door. The last Miss le Strange, x2 great Grand-daughter of Henry Styleman le Strange lived in the West Wing between the 1960’s-1980’s. When the old led roof began to leak. No patch up work would solve it and the property was finally sold out of the Family for the last time.