Pages

Thursday 13 April 2017

A-Z Challenge 2017 - Houses, some real, some not - 'K'

K - Ketton Hall

This is a location with which I was once very familiar.


Gateway to Ketton Hall
( © Copyright Alan Murray-Rust , licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)

As a boy in the Rutland village of Ketton I walked alongside the wall many times and with other lads threw sticks to knock down conkers from the horse chestnut trees that grew along its length. I'll even admit to being given a 'bunk-up' to climb over it. 

Later I walked to the gate at the far right end of the wall, then the entrance to Ketton Cricket Club. More recently it became the way in to a green burial site.

During WWII the Hall was the home of Air Marshal Sir John Baldwin, Acting Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command (1942) and Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Force (Burma), (1943-1944).

Lady Baldwin, a member of the York Terry's confectionery family, would stop and talk to me (as a five year old) when she passed the wooden gate to my home. I never lived down telling her that my oldest brother had gone to war to stick a bayonet up Hitler's arse!

As for Ketton Hall, it was recently on the market for £2.5 million.


8 comments:

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

Awesome place! Shame I don't have enough change lying around to buy it. Love what you said to the Lady! Hope your brother made it home safely. Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

Mail Adventures said...

What a pity I don't have £2.5 million spare right now...

FinnBadger said...

Fascinating piece of history, and a great personal connection.

Phillip | K is for Kraft paper envelopes

Jo said...

What a lovely place. Reminds me of a place once owned by friends who lived in Sussex. £2.5 million is quite a wad of money.

coach-daddy said...

The first thing I noticed was the grass in front, and how my girls could play soccer there! Of course, the house is a nice addition, too. Love to know the history of the place, too.
----------

Eli@CoachDaddy

K is for 7 Women I'd Sing Karaoke With

Miss Andi said...

What a beautiful place! Great story about your 5 yo self's thoughts, I bet it was a regular family story :) I liked the picture and used it to cross out "image with something green" on the A To Z bingo list!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob - what a great story to tell the Lady of the village - bet she had fun retelling it to her hubby and family. Conkers - oh they are such lovely trees - and they were out at Buckingham Palace yesterday - ours are still in bud - but very much on their way.

Lovely house - can be buy together ... I'll contribute a few pennies -if you could find the rest?!

Cheers and enjoy the weekend - Hilary

http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/l-is-for-legendary-beasts-of-britain.html

Jaime Haney said...

Well they had me at the wall and the gate! I cannot imagine the beauty that must be inside. Thanks for your memories.