Rushden Hall, the oldest domestic building in Rushden,
contains elements of 14th century architecture with a complex mixture
of architectural styles both inside and out, built in local  limestone
with a clay tile roof. The east front is the most important architecturally,
with corresponding wings, topped with Dutch gables of the 1600’s,
and fronted by generous bow windows rising through two floors. On
the same front there is a 16th century door which led into the great
hall, unfortunately the latter was lost in the reconstruction of
1820 by a wealthy gentleman Thomas Williams who was twice married,
father of 21 children and High Sheriff in 1829. The present entrance
on south side, which is located through a two-storied embattled
porch of 15th century origin, was not there in 1811 and may have
been relocated from the north side of the building. Frederick Urban
Sartoris, the first member of the Sartoris family who occupied the
house until Arthur Hugh Sartoris, who sold the hall in 1929, added
the bays on the south side.
Rushden Hall has a long and varied history with its occupants as
well as its construction and design. From the early 13th century
until 1929, Rushden Hall was home to a succession of local squires,
in particular the Pembertons and the Ekins, Fletcher and Sartoris
families. The Pemberton’s long association with the hall (nearly
200 years) began shortly after 1460 with Robert Pemberton who was
MP for Northampton, High Sheriff and usher of the chamber to Richard
III. His grandson, another Robert Pemberton lived in Rushden Hall
during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. He was one of her gentlemen
ushers of the wardrobe, and he and his son, Sir Lewis Pemberton,
rebuilt the old, primitive hall as an elegant country house. Sir
Lewis Pemberton, High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, who passed away
in 1639, was the last of the Pembertons to live at Rushden Hall.
After the civil war, John Ekins (a parliamentarian from Chester
House, Irchester) became the owner of the hall, which was the Ekins
family home until 1740.
The majority of stories concerning Rushden Hall are focused on the
Fletcher family who were occupiers of the hall after the departure
of the Ekins. They resided at the hall from  1755
until the 1820’s. One story concerning Mr Fletcher, a typical
Georgian squire, was of him standing warming himself before the
fire. The powder horn in his pocket exploded blowing out all the
windows but leaving him unharmed. Not surprisingly the room where
this incident occurred is now named ‘The Fletcher Room’.
The last family to occupy the hall were the Sartoris Family who
are mentioned above. They stayed from around 1840 until 1929, when
they moved to Bedfordshire. The Pemberton Chapel in St Mary’s
Church houses monuments and memorials to the owners of Rushden Hall
the Pembertons, Ekins, Fletcher and Sartoris families.
Rushden Hall in more recent years has been used for offices and
part of the hall can be hired for various functions. The ‘Fletcher
Room’ and the ‘Panelled Room’ have been sanctioned
for marriage ceremonies. For details about hiring Rushden Hall please
contact Rushden Town Council.
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