There is a beautiful stately home near to our office in Hook, that is at least 750 years old.
The stories of its owners are enough to fill several TV series, and we probably know a fraction of what went on there in the last millennia. Some of the stories are as relevant to us today as they once were.
The first Baron William Sandys to own the property was very adept at sensing which way the wind was blowing and adjusting. As this was the early 16th-century, the wind was Henry VIII and William was very close to him. Baron Sandys managed to gain favour with Henry and Catherine of Aragon, even hosting them at the Vyne. He was much less keen on Anne Boleyn but still hosted Henry and her at the house. Ultimately though he was involved in escorting her to the Tower of London when she fell out of Henry’s favour. Extraordinarily Baron Sandys remained a Catholic through the whole period and yet stayed on the right side of the king throughout.
Baron Sandys would have been in the very top echelon of English society and the very highest levels of wealth. Yet, few of us would trade places with him today. Doctors at the time couldn’t even tell him that he had contracted Malaria from his frequent trips to his castle in France and it killed him. Baron Sandys’ time is unrecognisable from ours; no mobile phones, Disney+, Doctor Who or Air Source Heat Pumps. He lived the life of a pauper compared to most people today.
In the 17th century, later Baron Sandys were less successful at picking the right side, with the second Baron Sandys being sent to the Tower of London himself for being involved in a plot against Elizabeth I. The next heir didn’t have the title Baron but did support the King, which turned out to be a mistake as the civil war was won by the Parliamentarians and Henry Sandys was killed in battle.
Risk is something all of us encounter in our careers, relationships and investing. Risk is good, as it is the only thing that leads to the best rewards. We still need protection for the downsides, a reserve for the unexpected and a plan for the long-term.
In the mid-17th century, the then owner Chaloner Chute died, and his 2nd wife Lady Dacre wasn’t happy with her inheritance and took Chaloner’s son by his first marriage to court. She quintupled her cash inheritance which meant that he couldn’t afford to live at the house he had inherited. When he died early at 36, Lady Dacre sued his son (her step-grandson) who was aged 10, for the balance.
Some things don’t change, it is really important that everyone has written their wills carefully, used trusts where appropriate and chosen the best executors/trustees.
In the mid-19th century, one of the owners prioritised renovating the property. He and his family ended up with a beautiful house but without the funds to host polite society, as a result they were never invited out themselves. It is likely that this resulted in his three daughters remaining single as they had no opportunity to meet eligible men.
Getting the balance right between spending now and saving for the future is hard. What we do know from all the research is that spending on objects only brings us temporary joy. Saving so that we have enough money to spend time with others is the only permanent joy that we can obtain.
Lastly, in the mid-20th century, the property was gifted to the National Trust by the Chute family probably due to a combination of lack of family, lack of money and hopefully some generous intent. It may well have been to avoid inheritance tax, or it might have been to leave a legacy for centuries to come.
We guide families through all these pitfalls throughout Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Sussex, and Kent from our Hook office. We advise many more throughout the UK using the latest technology.