Kingston Lacy
History
Meet the family
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Reborn in the fire of war
Reborn in the fire of war
In 1632, Sir John Bankes, a successful lawyer brought the two separate estates of Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy. After John’s death in 1644, his wife, Dame Mary Bankes defended Corfe Castle against two parliamentarian sieges until the castle was captured and destroyed in 1646.
Find out about the battle for Corfe Castle
© Neil Davidson/National Trust
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A new start
A new start
In 1660, Sir John’s son Ralph was knighted as a reward for his family’s loyalty to the monarchy during the Civil War. He undertook the mammoth task of building a new family home, a red brick house called Kingston Hall. Designed by Sir Roger Pratt, the cost nearly bankrupted the family.
© Christopher Hurst
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Who wants to be a millionaire?
Who wants to be a millionaire?
In 1776, Henry Bankes the Younger inherited the estate. His father had bought shares in a graphite mine in Borrowdale, Cumberland. In 1780 sales of graphite brought them an income of £1,000 per year. In today's money that’s approximately £1,280,000. With this money Henry modernised and rebuilt...
© Christopher Hurst
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Father of all mischiefs
Father of all mischiefs
William John Bankes, handsome, arrogant, clever and a society favourite, baffled his conservative father. After exploring the Mediterranean and Middle East he acquired a collection of paintings and antiques and was desperate to redesign Kingston Lacy to his tastes.
The death of his father gave him his chance
© Derrick E. Witty
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Something old, something new
Something old, something new
Between 1835-41, William with the help of his architect Charles Barry transformed Kingston Hall. William was not able to enjoy his changes for long. In September 1841 he was arrested for exposing himself and decided to flee England.
© Andreas von Einsiedel
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Victorian grandeur, Edwardian elegance
Victorian grandeur, Edwardian elegance
Disaster struck the Bankes family in the mid 19th century with a series of premature deaths. Walter Bankes inherited Kingston Lacy in 1869, finally bringing about a period of stability. He married the Henrietta Jenny and after his death, she devoted herself to the estate.
Life and death at Kingston Lacy
© Derrick E. Witty
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Post war blues
Post war blues
In 1923 Ralph Bankes at the age of 21 inherited Kingston Lacy estate. After the death of his wife in 1966 from Multiple Sclerosis Ralph became a solitary figure and the estate slowly slipped into decay.
© Kingston Lacy
The obelisk
You can see the obelisk in the garden
The pink granite needle was discovered on an island in the Nile by William Bankes in 1815. William was able to make out the names Ptolemy and Cleopatra among the mix of Greek and hieroglyphics on the obelisk. This was a vital first step in attempts to decipher the language of the Ancient Egyptians.
A tortuous journey
- It would take seven years to transport the obelisk to Kingston Lacy
- It fell into the Nile whilst being loaded onto a boat
- It was also the object of a gun battle with rival Egyptologists
- The arrival of the obelisk in England was greeted with huge excitement
- A converted gun carriage was used to transport it to Kingston Lacy
- The Duke of Wellington laid the foundation stone in 1827
- 19 horses were needed to raise the obelisk upright
Before Kingston Lacy
You can still see the remains of the hill fort at Badbury Rings
© Mike Harry
This beautiful area is steeped in history going back to before the Bankes family even arrived. Today you can walk in the footsteps of Neolithic warriors, Celtic tribes, a Roman emperor, Saxon warlords and medieval kings of England. Kingston Lacy may even be the site of King Arthur’s greatest battle.
After the Bankes family
Ralph Bankes donation also included parts of Studland and Corfe
© James Dobson
Ralph Bankes gave the whole estate to the National Trust on his death in 1981. By then, the garden was largely a jungle and the house was suffering from sagging beams and a leaking roof. We began the massive job of restoring this house and opening it to the public for the very first time. Millions of people have now discovered the beauty of Kingston Lacy and its astonishing collections.