The fireplace in the Holbein Hall of Reigate Priory.
This grade I listed building dates mainly from the 1770s, although some parts of the previous Tudor building remain, built by the first Lord Howard of Effingham, uncle of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, who had been given the Manor and Priory of Reigate in 1541 following the dissolution. Lord Howard of Effingham was the father of the second Lord Howard of Effingham, famous for his victory over the Spanish Armada, who also lived here. Prior to this, an earlier Augustinian monastery had stood here, dating from the 13th century, parts of which were incorporated into the Tudor mansion.
There have been various owners since, including Sir John Parsons, a London brewer and Lord Mayor of London, who bought it from the Howards in 1703, a Mr Richard Ireland who bought it in 1766 and was responsible for the major rebuild and Lord Somers, owner of much of Reigate, who bought it in 1808 and whose family owned it until bought by the local council in 1945. It now houses Reigate Priory Junior School – what must be one of the most impressive state school buildings in the country!
For listing details see
Link.
The fireplace surround dates from the early 16th century and was originally installed in Nonsuch Palace in Ewell, having been commissioned by Henry VIII and thought to have been designed by the German artist, Hans Holbein. It was later moved to Bletchingley Place (see
TQ3252 : Place Farm), for Anne of Cleves, Henry's divorced wife.
Bletchingley Place was bought in 1560 by William Howard (father of Charles Howard of Effingham of Spanish Armada fame, Reigate Priory's most famous resident), and in 1655 William's great granddaughter, Elizabeth, Countess of Peterborough, had the surround moved to Reigate Priory.
The stone fireplace itself dates from the 1540s and was put in by William Howard, whose arms are at the top of the fireplace arch. For close up of part of the surround, above the fireplace, see
TQ2549 : Detail of fireplace, Holbein Hall, Reigate Priory.