2012
TG3321 : Beeston Hall
taken 13 years ago, near to Neatishead, Norfolk, England
This is 1 of 2 images, with title Beeston Hall in this square

Beeston Hall
This fine country house is attributed to the architect William Wilkins of Norwich. It was built in 1786 for Jacob Preston near the site of an older mansion which was torn down. The surrounding park, now largely given over to farming, is believed to have been laid out at around the same time.
In the 1940s, Beeston Hall was owned by Sir Thomas Preston, O.B.E (1886-1976), 6th baronet, who spent most of his time overseas. As a young man, he went on mining expeditions in northern Siberia prospecting for gold and he later joined the Diplomatic Service. He was British Consul in Ekaterinburg at the time of the murder in 1918 by the Bolsheviks of Tsar Nicholas II and the Russian Imperial family. Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Ronald Douglas Hildebrand Preston, 7th Baronet, who served as a Major in the Intelligence Corps and later worked for Reuters and The Times as a foreign correspondent. He was also a member of the SOE (Special Operations Executive, a covert military organisation).
From 1940 to 1942, Beeston Hall housed the Norfolk Auxiliary Units' administrative headquarters and it was here where Captain Nigel Oxenden [later Major Nigel Oxenden MC] and his staff were based. Although the Hall is surrounded by extensive park and farmland, no training exercises appear to have been held at Beeston.
At present, the estate is known as the Beeston Hall Arabian Stud.
(Picture taken by kind permission of the owner.)
In the 1940s, Beeston Hall was owned by Sir Thomas Preston, O.B.E (1886-1976), 6th baronet, who spent most of his time overseas. As a young man, he went on mining expeditions in northern Siberia prospecting for gold and he later joined the Diplomatic Service. He was British Consul in Ekaterinburg at the time of the murder in 1918 by the Bolsheviks of Tsar Nicholas II and the Russian Imperial family. Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Ronald Douglas Hildebrand Preston, 7th Baronet, who served as a Major in the Intelligence Corps and later worked for Reuters and The Times as a foreign correspondent. He was also a member of the SOE (Special Operations Executive, a covert military organisation).
From 1940 to 1942, Beeston Hall housed the Norfolk Auxiliary Units' administrative headquarters and it was here where Captain Nigel Oxenden [later Major Nigel Oxenden MC] and his staff were based. Although the Hall is surrounded by extensive park and farmland, no training exercises appear to have been held at Beeston.
At present, the estate is known as the Beeston Hall Arabian Stud.
(Picture taken by kind permission of the owner.)