Northfleet History Group - February 2012 Meeting.
COBHAM HALL, CRICKET AND A CHALET
Sylvia Hammond
Over eighty members and visitors turned out on a very cold February afternoon to hear the talk about the “Owners of Cobham Hall”.
Henry De Cobham, who became the 1st Baron Cobham, lived in a manor house on the site of what was to become Cobham Hall. The Hall remained in private ownership until the Earl of Darnley left in 1957 and it was purchased by the Ministry of Works in 1959 before becoming a girl’s boarding school in 1962.
The Hall had many prestigious visitors including Elizabeth I and Charles Dickens. Dickens regularly walked from Gads Hill House through the grounds of Cobham Hall to the Leather Bottle pub in Cobham village where he gave readings of his work and enjoyed a drink with his friend the Earl of Darnley. Following his death in 1870 the Swiss chalet in which he did his writing was moved to the grounds of Cobham Hall as a gift to his great friend the 6th Earl.
Ivo Bligh the 8th Earl of Darnley was a famous cricketer. In 1882 Australia defeated England in a cricket match played at Kensington Oval, a few days after the defeat an obituary notice appeared in the Sporting Times which read:
“In affectionate remembrance of English Cricket which died at the Oval on 29th August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. RIP. NB. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."
In the winter of 1882/83 Ivo Bligh captained the England cricket team playing in Australia and he pledged to bring back the ashes of English cricket. England won and Ivo Bligh was presented with a small urn complete with ashes, probably of burnt bails, the rest is history. The urn presented to Ivo Bligh is kept at the MCC museum and a Waterford Crystal representation of the urn is presented to the winner of the Ashes series, England is the current holder the next ashes series is to be played in 2013
Henry De Cobham, who became the 1st Baron Cobham, lived in a manor house on the site of what was to become Cobham Hall. The Hall remained in private ownership until the Earl of Darnley left in 1957 and it was purchased by the Ministry of Works in 1959 before becoming a girl’s boarding school in 1962.
The Hall had many prestigious visitors including Elizabeth I and Charles Dickens. Dickens regularly walked from Gads Hill House through the grounds of Cobham Hall to the Leather Bottle pub in Cobham village where he gave readings of his work and enjoyed a drink with his friend the Earl of Darnley. Following his death in 1870 the Swiss chalet in which he did his writing was moved to the grounds of Cobham Hall as a gift to his great friend the 6th Earl.
Ivo Bligh the 8th Earl of Darnley was a famous cricketer. In 1882 Australia defeated England in a cricket match played at Kensington Oval, a few days after the defeat an obituary notice appeared in the Sporting Times which read:
“In affectionate remembrance of English Cricket which died at the Oval on 29th August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. RIP. NB. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."
In the winter of 1882/83 Ivo Bligh captained the England cricket team playing in Australia and he pledged to bring back the ashes of English cricket. England won and Ivo Bligh was presented with a small urn complete with ashes, probably of burnt bails, the rest is history. The urn presented to Ivo Bligh is kept at the MCC museum and a Waterford Crystal representation of the urn is presented to the winner of the Ashes series, England is the current holder the next ashes series is to be played in 2013
