Photo: Shaw House by Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Shaw House is a Grade I listed historic house in Berkshire, and a member of Historic Houses. Read about its history, architecture and gardens, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Shaw House
Thomas Dolman built Shaw House in 1581 as a display of wealth from the Newbury wool trade.
The symmetrical H-plan Elizabethan mansion stands on Church Road in Shaw, near Newbury in Berkshire, and counts among the best preserved houses of its period in England.
It has received royal visitors, sustained damage during the English Civil War, housed soldiers in the Second World War and served as a school for local children.
Historic Houses members can visit free of charge, and the house and grounds open to the public for much of the year.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Shaw House
Thomas Dolman, a wealthy Newbury clothier, completed Shaw House in 1581 in a symmetrical H-plan typical of high Elizabethan design. During the English Civil War the house was occupied and saw fighting as Royalist and Parliamentarian forces contested Newbury, leaving traces still visible in its fabric. In the twentieth century it was requisitioned for troops during the Second World War and later used as a school, a role that shaped much of its more recent history before restoration opened it fully to the public.
Architecture of Shaw House
Shaw House is an early and unusually complete example of the symmetrical H-plan Elizabethan mansion, a form favoured by wealthy Tudor merchants to display status through balanced wings and a grand central hall range.
Worth knowing
The house is said to have received royal visitors in its early history and later played a direct part in the fighting around Newbury during the Civil War, a rare instance of a domestic Elizabethan mansion seeing active combat.
Gardens & grounds at Shaw House
The grounds around Shaw House include open parkland and gardens that are included in the standard visit alongside the house itself.
Facilities
Plan your visit to Shaw House
Nearest station: Newbury Racecourse Rail Station (1 miles)
Open February to September with extended seasonal opening in autumn and December; check official website for specific dates.
Places to visit near Shaw House
Donnington Castle
View Donnington Castle on heritage mapSandham Memorial Chapel
View Sandham Memorial Chapel on heritage mapWest Woodhay House
View West Woodhay House on heritage mapSt Thomas' Church, East Shefford
View St Thomas' Church, East Shefford on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Shaw House there are 2 historic properties, including 1 church and 1 castle, across English Heritage and National Trust sites.
Within 10 miles of Shaw House there are 7 historic properties, including 3 churchs and 3 historic houses, across Historic Houses, Churches Conservation Trust and English Heritage sites.
Within 20 miles of Shaw House there are 34 historic properties, including 10 churchs, 10 historic buildings and 6 historic houses, across English Heritage, Churches Conservation Trust and National Trust sites.
Facts
A Civil War battleground inside one of England's best preserved Elizabethan mansions.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- Berkshire, England
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