Beaupré Hall

The history of the Hall begins with its family origins, a Norman from Saint-Omer who dwelled and, according to Christopher Hussey "christened his domain with gallic grace, among the dull-sounding names of the danes.

"[2] The knight of St Omer (de Beau-pré) accompanied William the Conqueror's invasion of England; he "appears in the Roll of Battle Abbey, and his descendants lived here in their place of Beaupré.

His successor William de St Omer was granted a fair at Brundale and at Mulbarton, Norfolk, in 1254, where his arms (a fess between six cross-crosslets) could formerly be seen on a monument in the church.

After his death in 1567 leaving no male heirs, the hall succeeded to Sir Robert Bell, by virtue of marriage to Edmonde's daughter Dorothie in 1559; whereby his Beaupré line became extinct.

Their daughter Jane brought it by marriage to the Townley family, who held Beaupré Hall until it passed into the hands of Edward Fordham Newling, and his brother.

This structure was built upon an old model, probably by Edmonde Beaupré during the time of his marriage with Margaret the daughter of Sir John Wiseman, servant to the 15th Earl of Oxford.

Phase III (1571–1577) After Edmonde Beaupre's death in 1567, the hall was enlarged by the Bells: new construction and renovations included: Demolishing and rebuilding the body of east wing of the old house (where the living quarters were located).

Phase IV (1577-1935) Aside from several rooms on the first floor and the main door which had 16th-century linenfold paneling, the Hall was variously altered internally by its successors (some negligent) from the 16th century.

The second floor of the Gate House was a drawing room, lit by square-headed windows decorated with stone mullions and transom, and fitted with a fine Elizabethan fireplace, which had a marble frame and carved wood overmantel that enclosed the fireplace from the floor to the ceiling and had early Jacobean architecture style paneling with a pair of trimmed arches that were encased and separated by ornate columns, directly above the center of the marble arch frame.

[17] Inscribed in Latin: Thomas de Beauspre Armiger cepit in uxorem Margareta(m) filia(m) Joh(ann)is Meris Armigeri) ("Thomas de Beaupre, Esquire, took as his wife Margaret daughter of John Meeres, Esquire"[18]) Center Left Frame: The Arms of Thomas Beaupré, Quarterly - 1 & 4: Argent, on a bend azure three cross crosslets or (Beaupré); 2 & 3: Azure, a fess between six cross crosslets or (St Omer), impaling the arms of his wife Margaret Meeres/de Meris, daughter of John Meeres (d.1471), Gules, a fess between three water bougets ermine (Meeres).

Beaupré Hall in 1884–85
Beaupré Hall heraldic stained glass, Victoria and Albert Museum
Key to stained glass
Beaupré impaling Meeres
Detail from 1st & 4th grand quarters of impaled shield: Fotheringhay quartering Lyndsey
Detail of 2nd & 3rd grand quarters