The heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds
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Horncastle Discovered The heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds |
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Banovallum house was built in 1790, on land owned by Sir Joseph Banks, and has as its southern boundary the Horncastle Navigation Canal, opened in 1802. In 1792 the house was inhabited by one William Simpson, a dealer in wool and drapery. In 1805 the house was taken by a coal merchant, Benjamin Gilliat, the area expanded with the construction of a wharf and warehouse. Gilliat used the canal to run coal between Wakefield and Horncastle. When he passed away his son took possession and the business expanded to include corn, timber and even a brewery. Originally a two storey house it was extended and a further storey added, presumably around the middle of the century. The late 1870s saw new tenants, a master brewer Alfred Healey, who also dealt in coal amongst other things. Trading extensively from his wharf on the canal he prospered until the arrival of the railways made transporting coal by canal unviable and the traffic stopped around 1876, only 2 years later the canal closed. Healey's family continued to reside in the house and the sons continued to work in the brewing industry. The next person to take over the lease was George Speed JP who paid an annual rent of £1,000 for use of the property. When Joseph Banks passed away his estate was divided
between two aunts, the part including Banovallum House was
then passed on to James Banks Stanhope in whose family it
remained until becoming the property of Lady Beryl Groves. The house then passed through several private hands, at one time being a garden centre, before becoming, as it remains to date, the headquarters of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. |
© R.D. Collins 2004