Bylaugh Hall

He left his estates to Edward Beevor (1771–1847), a barrister who was his half-brother (the product of an affair with a Norwich doctor's wife) who assumed the name of Lombe on his inheritance.

In 1849, after a long delay, the Court of Chancery intervened, and ordered the use of the trust funds for their appointed purpose, and the architects Charles Barry, Jr. and Robert Richardson Banks were at length commissioned to design a suitable house.

William Andrews Nesfield advised on the position of the house, and was responsible for laying out the grounds and gardens.

The clock tower and surrounding buildings are vaguely reminiscent of the new Houses of Parliament which were designed by Sir Charles Barry, Sr.

Edward Evans took the extra name Lombe, making his surname Evans-Lombe; but he only lived for a year, and his younger brother Rev.

His father was Thomas Browne Evans (1767–1827) and his mother was Mary Hase who was the niece of Sir John Lombe.

He lived in the Hall with his family for almost twenty years and is listed in both the 1881 and 1891 censuses with a very large number of servants.

He was also educated at Cambridge University, and joined the military forces in the Prince of Wales' Own Norfolk Artillery Militia.

[8] While they still held the lease on Warwick Castle, it seems that they decided to buy their own property, and so purchased Bylaugh Hall.

They continued to entertain at Warwick Castle after their purchase, and a photo of Mrs Agnes Marsh with two members of Russian royalty at one of their house parties is shown.

[9] At the same time her sister Genevieve "Viva" Power (1885–1964), who had married Dr (later Sir) Russell Wilkinson (1888–1969), moved into the Hall.

By 1950, it was in disrepair, and in June of that year a 350 lot demolition sale was held which stripped the house of its lead roof and interior fittings, leaving it an abandoned ruin.

In 1999 the house (and a lodge) was sold to a local sculptor who dreamt of fully restoring it to its former glory.

By July 2009 the house and outbuildings were the subject of ongoing financial and legal problems that resulted in their complete repossession and the apparent loss of deposits by a number of people.

[14] In March 2014 the house and outbuildings were purchased by Ben Budworth, owner of The Lady Magazine published in London.

Bylaugh Hall, built 1852. Norfolk, England. Designed by Charles Barry Jr.
Bylaugh Hall 1852 when it was built
Albinia Evans-Lombe and her fiancée, 1911
Mrs Agnes Marsh (centre) and two members of the Russian Royal Family, 1922
Bylaugh Hall, 1946 when it was owned by the Marsh family