Barton upon Humber’s Tyrwhitt Hall holds a fascinating link to a time in the country’s history that could have changed it forever when a group of provincial English Catholics conspired to assassinate King James I by blowing up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605.

The Tyrwhitt family, who owned the medieval mansion overlooking St Peter’s, owned much land in the area around Brigg and Barton and it was Elizabeth Tyrwhitt who married one of the Ambrose Rookwood, a member of an old and influential Catholic family from Suffolk, who became a member of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

A further link to the Gunpowder Plot comes in the form of another of the plotters Robert Keyes who was also related to the through his Tyrwhitt mother.

From the early 1600s Tyrwhitt Hall passed through a number of hands.  At the time of the Hearth Tax in the 1670s the Hall has six hearths.  Fast Forward to the early 1900 the Hall was in the hands of the Cross family who built neighbouring East Acridge House on part of the former Hall garden known as Dovecote Close.

In turn they sold the Hall to local artist, sculptor and musician Philip Pape who lived there until his death when it was sold to its present owner Chrissie Booth.

The Hall is open for viewing and guided tour on Sunday, September 8 and Sunday, September 16 from 1.30pm until 4pm.  The guided tour begins at 2pm on both days and booking is essential by contacting 01652 635172.