Thornbury House and The Lamb Inn

Thornbury House (as can be seen from this photograph) was a substantial and impressive building just off Castle Street in Thornbury.  When it was advertised for sale in 1900 it had a large dining room, drawing room and library, ten bedrooms, a nursery and the housekeeper's room.  It also had the servants' hall, pantry, kitchen etc that one associates with a house on this scale.

In the 1950's the house ceased being used as a private family home when it was acquired by the Sheiling School.  Sadly some time later it was demolished and after 1971 it was replaced by a small housing development known as Warwick Place.

There is a small thumbnail image of a plan of the property as it was sold in 1900.  Please click on it for a larger image.  It was a very considerable house and with large grounds.  However the property for sale is only that marked in pink.  Sir John Kingsmill Grove Key who inherited the property, as we describe below, appeared to retain ownership of part of his estate at that time.  We believe that Geraldine Mundy who purchased the house and land marked in pink on the plan also bought the remainder of the property, including a house still called Thornbury Cottage.  However we have no confirmation of the details of this transaction.

We know from Kingsmill Grove's will that Thornbury House was built by him on the site of what seems to be an inn called The Lamb.  The will, which was written in 1811 said;

"I give and devise all that my said capital messuage or dwelling house by me erected and built with the coach house stable gardens and all appurtenances thereto adjoining and belonging situate in the Town and Borough of Thornbury aforesaid on part whereof a messuage called the Lamb hereinbefore stood which I took down and removed and built the said capital messuage in its stead and which messuage called the Lamb and the garden thereto adjoining I bought and purchased of and from Mr John Salmon deceased and also all that close of meadow or pasture ground heretofore in two closes called the paddocks lying behind the said capital messuage containing about four acres situate in the Tything of Kington in the Parish of Thornbury and which I bought and purchased of Mr William Turton and part of which same close I have taken therefrom and added to the garden ground of such capital messuage with the rights members and appurtenances thereto belonging."

The list of victuallers drawn up on 18th September 1755 which shows all the retailers of alcohol in Thornbury says  that the victualler at the Lamb was John Longman.  We know little about The Lamb but there is a document in Gloucester Records Office (reference D866/T8) dated 1759 which says that the Lamb was in the occupation of John Longman, having been previously rented to Mrs Longman.  We do not know when it was acquired by Kingsmill Grove but we believe that it was certainly  before 1800 as that is when John Salmon (from whom the property was bought) died and probably before the mid 1790's by which time Kingsmill was already playing a major role in Thornbury life.

Kingsmill Grove was connected to the house for the rest of his life, although his business interests were in Bristol.  After his death it passed to his wife, Susannah and then his wife's niece Mary Ann and her husband John Key and to their heirs.  This family owned the house until it was sold to Geraldine Mundy in 1900.

Click here to read about the Grove and Key families who owned the house for many years.

Major Charlewood.  For at least part of the time that the Key family owned the house it was rented out to other people.  The 1861 Census shows us that the occupant of Thornbury House was Major John Charlewood JP aged 52 a retired army major aged 52 from Staffordshire.  His wife was Catherine Charlewood from Wiltshire aged 44.  They had a daughter Catherine aged 12 and born in Hampshire.  They had three servants in the house.

They had moved from Alderly where they were living in the 1851 Census.  At that time John was a captain in the army and they had two children, Charles aged four and Catherine aged two.  By 1871 they had moved to The Elms in Alveston.  They had a grandson Charles aged one living with them as well as their daughter Catherine,

John Charlewood died on 10th September 1890 leaving a widow to prove the will with the help of Francis Charlewood Turner of Finsbury Sq in Middlesex and Edward Philips Charlewood of Manchester the nephews.  His estate was valued at £12,898 18s 1d.

Geraldine Mundy.  The Hon Geraldine Mundy and her husband Pierrepont rented Thornbury House before Geraldine bought it in 1900.   Click here to read about Geraldine Mundy and her family.

After the death of Geradine Mundy in 1911, Thornbury House was occupied by the Rev Hugh Gillett and his wife Evelyn who was the niece of Geraldine Mundy.  Click here to read about the Gilletts.

Algar Howard.  During World War II it was occupied by Sir Algar Howard of Thornbury Castle.  Click here to read about Algar Howard.

In 1950 the names of Ciceley Winder and Eleanor and Richard Poole appeared in the Electoral Roll as living in Thornbury House.

Some time in the 1950's the house was acquired by the Sheiling School.  The thumbnail image on the left is of Thornbury house at that time.  Please click on it for a larger photograph.  Click here to read about The Sheiling School.

We believe the house was demolished in the early 1970's.