Mompesson House

Mompesson House

Mompesson House is an 18th-century house located in the Cathedral Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. The Grade I listed house. has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1952.

History

The building was constructed for Sir Thomas Mompesson, MP for the constituency of Salisbury in 1679, 1695 and 1701. The site was purchased at the end of the 17th century and the house reflects the classic Queen Anne style of that period with Chilmark stone facing. To the right of the main house stands the brick built service building which was constructed on the site of the old Eagle Inn that closed in 1625. Thomas's son Charles completed the building in 1701, his initials and date can be seen on the heads of the water downpipes. In due course the Longueville family acquired the house through marriage. The Townsend family occupied the house from 1846 to 1939 and the flamboyant artist Miss Barbara Townsend, mentioned in Edith Olivier's book, Four Victorian Ladies of Wiltshire, lived there for the whole of her 96 years. The Bishop of Salisbury, Neville Lovett, lived there from 1942-46. In 1952 the freehold was purchased from the Church Commissioners by the architect, Mr Dennis Martineau who immediately gave it to the present owners.

Miscellanea

• Mompesson House was used as a location for the 1995 film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
• The overthrow, iron railings, gates and iron lamps at the front of the building are Grade I listed separately from the house.

External links

• Mompesson House information at the National Trust