The house is regarded as a very fine example of late 17th century domestic architecture, and is a Grade II* listed building.

At the time of its construction in 1696 it was completely up to date and innovative in its design - which was unusual in the provinces, where architectural styles usually lagged behind that of the larger cities.

This small mansion, built for a Huguenot from Montauban in France, a Merchant taylor John Renouille who became Sheriff of Bedfordshire.

The house has had a varied ownership, the Renouille family anglicised their name to Reynal moved to nearby Hockliffe Grange and let Eggington.

The last of the Reynal's predeceased his wife, who remarried which caused to the property to pass to her new husband named Francis Moore.

Later, circa 1900, it belonged to a family called Hodgson who frequently entertained the suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst.

He left his property to Sarah and in 1785 she married the widower Colonel Francis Moore (1747-1810) who was a wealthy landowner from Aspley Guise.

In her Will Sarah left Egglington House and the other property she had inherited from the Reynal family to her nephew Millard Adams.

He did not marry and had no children but when he died in 1909 he left a trust which provided for his housekeeper Mrs Sarah Ann Mann.

He stated that he did this “in grateful recognition of her many kindnesses to him and of her long residence with his family and particularly of her attention to his father in his illness and his infirmity.

“Eggington was tall and Queen Anne, three storeys of white sash windows looked out on to a carriage sweep and lavender-filled gardens, it deserved the high praise that John Hodgson had bestowed on it.