DUNHAM MASSEY HALL, CHESHIRE - WWI REMEMBERED

I was fortunate enough to grow up in the village of Dunham Massey, Cheshire in the UK.  This estate, was bequeathed to The National Trust in 1976 on the death of Roger Grey, the 10th Earl of Stamford, whose family (the Booths and the Greys) had owned the estate for hundred's of years prior.

DUNHAM MASSEY HALL, CHESHIRE

This stately Georgian Hall, surrounded by a beautiful park and gardens, has history galore.  The family can trace it's line back to Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen of England for all of 9 days in 1553.  Outside of the walled park with it's herd of fallow deer and Water Mill, are the many cottages and farms of the workers/tenants, that made up the "estate" back in it's grandeur days.  Keeping the big house and estate ticking along.

My parents have lived in Dunham virtually their whole married lives.  My Mum still does, in the cottage first rented directly from Lord Stamford in 1964, and now rented from the National Trust.  I promise to do another post in the future to cover more about my growing up in Dunham.  This post however, highlights the fantastic National Trust exhibit going on this year at Dunham Massey Hall.  

DUNHAM MASSEY IS THE STAMFORD MILITARY HOSPITAL

2014 commemorates 100 years since the beginning of World War I.  during the war, from April 1917 until the February of 1919, Dunham Hall was used as a Military Hospital, helping over 300 soldiers recuperate from injuries sustained in the trenches.  From March until November this year, the National Trust exhibit  "Sanctuary from The Trenches" will showcase some of the rooms at Dunham as they would have been at that time.

Though I moved away from the area in 1983, I have been back regularly to Dunham to visit my parents (now sadly, only my Mum).  I have always loved visiting the Hall and park, so many memories from childhood when we played in the park, to the proposal of marriage from my husband (down on one knee in front of the hall), to taking my own children there to feed the ducks and see the deer.   

The Countess of Stamford, Sister Catherine Bennet and Lady Jane Grey.

"To mark the centenary we are turning the clock back. Discover what life was like for the patients and how the war changed everything for those who lived and worked at Dunham. Spend time in the ward, recreation room and operating theatre as you experience the Stamford Hospital as it once was."

Over the years, there have been many changes and improvements made by The National Trust and Dunham is an extremely popular place to visit, with just cause.

It has been a few years since I actually toured the house, so as I was back visiting my Mum this past March, I wanted to go and check out the new exhibit.

One of the major changes at Dunham this year is the spectacular new visitor centre, gift shop and cafe, newly opened near to the car park.

Having obtained my ticket for the Hall & Gardens, I walked towards the Hall passing by the duck pond and along the back of the stables and through the arch underneath the clock tower.

1. Visitor Center 2. House 3. Gardens 4. Stables 5. Stables Cafe 6. Water Mill

To add to the feel of the era, there were signs placed along the walk to the Hall, either staked in the ground or pinned to trees.  These signs reminding the British people of their Patriotic duty to King and Country, would have been typical of the day.
 
I found these to be very interesting.  Also, I must admit, they did make me smile a little .

Walking on, through the archway under the stable clock tower, you approach the house.  In front of the house, is the sundial that has stood in place since before 1750, depicting a Moor (representing Africa, one of four continents known at the time).

The figure of a Moor, holding a sundial, has been in place since before 1750.

Roger Grey, the 10th Earl of Stamford, inherited the Dunham estate upon the death of his father when he was just 13 years old.  His mother, Lady Stamford, ran the estate in trust, until he came of age in 1917.  The Countess was on the committee of the local branch of The Red Cross, she offered Dunham as an Auxiliary Hospital in early 1917 and this was accepted.  Lady Jane, sister to Roger, who was 15 years old when war broke out, left school in 1917 to help nurse the soldiers at Dunham.  Another major contributor to the Stamford Auxiliary Hospital was Sister Catherine Bennet, who worked tirelessly for the hospital and it's patients.

Some of the rooms in the house have been recreated as they would have been at the time it was a hospital.  For example, the Great Room at the back of the house was transformed into the hospital ward. 

Other rooms would have been used as a recreation room for the recovering soldiers, a sitting room for the nurses, and a surgery.  The exhibit also includes "live actors", who pop up during the tour to make the era come to life even more.

This beautiful room was the patients rec room

The Billiard Room became the Nurses sitting room.

Surgery

THE WOUNDED

"Only the lucky few - badly injured enough to need an extended recovery, but stable enough to perhaps survive the journey - were evacuated back to "Blighty" (Britain). In the process they were sorted and sent to hospitals based on their condition.  This means that we see patterns in the types and severity of injuries arriving here at Stamford Hospital.

Once in the UK, the critically ill would be rushed to hospitals close to their point of arrival.  Cases needing plastic surgery, or the badly shell-shocked might be sent to a specialist hospital.  Any who could survive onward travel were sent further afield to hospitals such as this one.

Stamford Hospital treated many men for bullet and shrapnel wounds, mostly to arms and legs.  Others had been gassed or had related respiratory problems.  Some came to recover from serious cases of disease that were aggravated by poor conditions and diet in the trenches."

                                                - Quote from one of the displays at Dunham

As well as the exhibit re-creating Stamford Hospital, you see much more of this wonderful house when you take the tour.  Basically designed in a rectangle shape, with an open courtyard in the middle, the house has huge long corridors with many rooms.  The Great Room at the back of the house, which was turned into the ward, overlooks the wonderful "formal" part of the garden and the Duck Pond.  Currently, there is a modern exhibit of white blocks each with a number, representing the 282 soldiers treated at Dunham in the middle of the formal garden.

Amazing long corridors.

The central courtyard inside the rectangle.

Formal garden and duck pond.

Dunham has been a major part of my life, and it is always a pleasure for me to go and visit.  I love the history of the place and feel very blessed to have grown up in such wonderful surroundings.  I really enjoyed this new exhibit and learning of Dunham's roll during World War 1.

Even if you don't tour the house, the park and gardens are lovely at any time of the year.  It does get very busy on bank holidays and weekends these days, so plan accordingly.

I leave you with a slide show of pictures taken on my visit to Dunham Hall and the Gardens.  (March 2013)

Dunham Massey History, Wikipedia click here
Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford, Wikipedia click here
The Booth & Grey Families (History, plus some great photos of Dunham) click here

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