The house was designed by Charles Verelst for William Oxley, a Liverpool textile merchant, and was built in the Italianate style between 1856 and 1863.[1] It came into the ownership of James Tait Black, a partner in the publishers A & C Black, in the early 20th century.[2][3]
Hotel and gardens in 2005
The house was converted for use as a hotel in the 1970s.[4] It was acquired by Derek and Pauline Harrison and their business partner Gordon Evans in 1990; customers included Jonathan Dimbleby, the broadcaster, and John Swannell, the photographer.[5]The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the house in October 2008.[6]
The house became a private home again when it was acquired by Alexander Mineev, a Russian oligarch, in 2010.[7] Following Mineev's murder in Moscow in February 2014, the house was bought by Jonathan Brown, owner of a Maryport-based salmonsmoking business, in August 2014.[7]
William Oxleyedit
William Oxley
William Oxley (1803-1871) who built Underscar was born in 1803 in Wakefield. His father was John Oxley, a merchant of Wakefield and his mother was Margaret Potter, daughter of Samuel Potter Esq. of Whitehaven who was a banker.[8] He moved to Liverpool and became a very successful merchant. In 1830 he married Hope Stewart the daughter of John Stewart of Blackburne Terrace.[9] In the following year the couple had a son John Stewart Oxley and shortly after his birth his wife Hope died.[10] In 1838 he married Anna Margaret Ponsonby who was the daughter of Captain John Ponsonby of Springfield near Whitehaven.[11] The Captain later lived at Barrow House and Ormathwaite House near Keswick.[12]
In 1857 William commissioned the famous architect Charles Reid to build the house. It took three and a half years to complete. He also hired the well-known landscape architect Edward Kemp to construct the gardens. Kemp described the house and garden in detail in a book he wrote.[13]
A description of the new house was given in a newspaper of 1861. It read.
"A great improvement has been made to Keswick by the completion of Underscar House which is an Italian mansion seated on the Applethwaite ascent to Skiddaw and upon an eminence far exceeding that of any other residence whence are commanded on all sides lake and mountain prospect unequalled for extent and picturesque sublimity. The mansion which is the seat of William Oxley Esq. of Liverpool stands on its own grounds of many acres and from its graceful design forms a prominent landmark on the landscape."[14]
William died in 1871 and his wife Anna continued to live at the house until several years before her death in 1890. The local newspaper published a glowing obituary of her which can be read at this reference.[15]
^Obituary of Margaret Anna Oxley 1890 Online reference
January 01, 1970
underscar, manor, country, house, underskiddaw, cumbria, grade, listed, building, underscar, house, 1987locationgale, road, underskiddaw, cumbria, englandcoordinates54, 6208, 1316, 6208, 1316built1856, 63built, forwilliam, oxleyarchitectcharles, verelstarchite. Underscar Manor is a country house at Underskiddaw in Cumbria It is a Grade II listed building 1 Underscar ManorUnderscar HouseUnderscar Manor in 1987LocationGale Road Underskiddaw Cumbria EnglandCoordinates54 37 15 N 3 07 54 W 54 6208 N 3 1316 W 54 6208 3 1316Built1856 63Built forWilliam OxleyArchitectCharles VerelstArchitectural style s ItalianateListed Building Grade IIDesignated24 February 2000Reference no 1380116Location in Cumbria Contents 1 History 2 William Oxley 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Underscar Manor in 1987 The house was designed by Charles Verelst for William Oxley a Liverpool textile merchant and was built in the Italianate style between 1856 and 1863 1 It came into the ownership of James Tait Black a partner in the publishers A amp C Black in the early 20th century 2 3 nbsp Hotel and gardens in 2005 The house was converted for use as a hotel in the 1970s 4 It was acquired by Derek and Pauline Harrison and their business partner Gordon Evans in 1990 customers included Jonathan Dimbleby the broadcaster and John Swannell the photographer 5 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the house in October 2008 6 The house became a private home again when it was acquired by Alexander Mineev a Russian oligarch in 2010 7 Following Mineev s murder in Moscow in February 2014 the house was bought by Jonathan Brown owner of a Maryport based salmon smoking business in August 2014 7 William Oxley edit nbsp William Oxley William Oxley 1803 1871 who built Underscar was born in 1803 in Wakefield His father was John Oxley a merchant of Wakefield and his mother was Margaret Potter daughter of Samuel Potter Esq of Whitehaven who was a banker 8 He moved to Liverpool and became a very successful merchant In 1830 he married Hope Stewart the daughter of John Stewart of Blackburne Terrace 9 In the following year the couple had a son John Stewart Oxley and shortly after his birth his wife Hope died 10 In 1838 he married Anna Margaret Ponsonby who was the daughter of Captain John Ponsonby of Springfield near Whitehaven 11 The Captain later lived at Barrow House and Ormathwaite House near Keswick 12 In 1857 William commissioned the famous architect Charles Reid to build the house It took three and a half years to complete He also hired the well known landscape architect Edward Kemp to construct the gardens Kemp described the house and garden in detail in a book he wrote 13 A description of the new house was given in a newspaper of 1861 It read A great improvement has been made to Keswick by the completion of Underscar House which is an Italian mansion seated on the Applethwaite ascent to Skiddaw and upon an eminence far exceeding that of any other residence whence are commanded on all sides lake and mountain prospect unequalled for extent and picturesque sublimity The mansion which is the seat of William Oxley Esq of Liverpool stands on its own grounds of many acres and from its graceful design forms a prominent landmark on the landscape 14 William died in 1871 and his wife Anna continued to live at the house until several years before her death in 1890 The local newspaper published a glowing obituary of her which can be read at this reference 15 See also edit nbsp Cumbria portal Listed buildings in UnderskiddawReferences edit a b Historic England Underscar Manor Hotel 1380116 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 16 October 2023 In memory of Janet Coats 90th Anniversary of Scotland s oldest Literary Prize textline Retrieved 25 July 2015 Thom s Official Directory Of Great Britain And Ireland 1921 p 405 Retrieved 25 July 2015 Mystery of the Manor Uncertainty about future of Underscar Cumberland and Westmorland Herald 6 September 2013 Retrieved 25 July 2015 Russian buyer of Lake District country House Shot dead News amp Star 10 February 2014 Retrieved 25 July 2015 I will have what the Queen had Cumberland News 1 October 2008 Retrieved 25 July 2015 a b New owner for Lake District Manor House News amp Star 25 August 2014 Retrieved 25 July 2015 Leeds Intelligencer Monday 04 April 1796 p 3 Liverpool Mercury Friday 15 October 1830 p 7 Survey of London Volume 24 1952 p 8 Online reference London Evening Standard Monday 23 April 1838 p 4 English Lakes Visitor Saturday 29 March 1890 p 4 Kemp Edward 1858 How to lay out a garden Bradbury amp Evans p 363 underscar the property of William Oxley Carlisle Journal Friday 10 May 1861 p 6 Obituary of Margaret Anna Oxley 1890 Online reference Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Underscar Manor amp oldid 1180571967, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
