Brayton Hall is a ruined former mansion in Cumbria, England. Once the ancestral seat of the Lawson family, it stood in a large park, with views of the surrounding countryside and the mountains of the Lake District in the background. Located 1.5 miles east by north of the town of Aspatria, and 7 miles south west by west of the market town of Wigton, it was greatly enlarged and rebuilt in 1868. Brayton Hall was practically destroyed by fire in 1918.Bulmers, History and Directory of Cumberland (1901) pages 119-22
Pre Lawson era Brayton, loosely translated as "Broad Acres", is an ancient manorial estate which formed a joint township with Aspatria. After the Norman Conquest it was granted by Alan, son of Waldieve, to Ughtred, who became the first Lord of the manor in the seignory of Aspatria and barony of Allerdale.Rose & Dunglinson, page 127 An inquisition held in 1578 records a William Bewley owning Brayton by fealty only, sometime the lands of the Bishop of Carlisle in free alms.Whellan page 206 It was subsequently possessed by a junior member of the Salkeld family, whose three co-heiresses sold it to Sir Wilfrid Lawson, who had previously married the heiress of Isel.Parsons & White, page 299 At this time the Brayton manorial estate comprised 20 houses, 20 tofts, 20 gardens, of land, of meadow, of pasture and of moor.
The Lawson era
Although there had been an existing manor house on the estate for many years, this was greatly improved in 1800 by the tenth baronet, who also developed the adjacent grounds, converted the existing deer park into a landscaped park, and in the process laid out extensive botanical gardens. The library, collected at a great expense, held a particularly rich collection of works on the subject of natural history. Among the pictures were many of the best works of contemporary English masters, particularly James Northcote and Philip Reinagle. The baronet also collected books, prints, paintings and suits of armour.Parsons & White page 299-301
There were no further developments until the coming of the railway in 1843, when the first baronet of the second order, who was a principal shareholder in the construction of the Maryport and Carlisle Railway Company, built a railway station. Brayton Station, situated on the northern outskirts of his property, less than a mile from his home, required the additional facility of a manned lodge and carriageway. If his father made few alterations, the second baronet made sweeping changes. He had inherited a significant estate covering in excess of 6,500 acres. It comprised the residence, an eight-acre lake, and a well timbered park with an excellent range of stabling and farm buildings. He owned eight additional tenanted farms in close proximity to the estate: High Close, Hall Bank, Baggrow, Fitz, Mechi, Lower Baggrow, East Mill, Firs and Crookdake. In addition he also owned two commercial market gardens, with glass houses and other related facilities; numerous dwelling houses, cottages, accommodation lands and plantations.
In 1868, Lawson greatly enlarged the house, forming a three-storey, stone-built mansion, in the form of a quadrangle enclosing an open court. He employed the famous interior designer John Crace to design and superintend the internal alterations. After the alterations Brayton presented a striking and unusual appearance with its south facing front and Italian gardens lying below the windows of the Morning Room and Library. Visitors entering the hall from the east passed through a projecting row of pillars, into the courtyard, where buildings occupied the other three sides. Entering the house visitors passed into a large hall, two stories in height with a balcony on one side supported by marble pillars, a large fireplace, having an inviting open fire, and a beautiful tiled floor, and elegantly furnished in the heaviest and richest manner. In the hall one could find the arms of the Lawson family and its alliances emblazoned around the oaken cornices. There was also a marble bust of Sir Wilfrid Lawson by John Adams-Acton. Leading from the hall were passages and staircases to a number of reception rooms and bedrooms, all elaborately furnished in a common theme. For example, there was the Ash Room, where all the furniture was made from ash; the Maple Room; the Ebony Room; the Bamboo Room; and the Sheraton Room.Lewiston Evening Journal, 9 November 1878 Perhaps the most imposing room was the Library. One visitor described it thus: On a table in the centre window of the Library is a vast number of books; the speeches of Cobden, being as great a favourite as the works of Byron or the novels of Lord Beaconsfield. Each in its turn is carefully read, the salient passages are marked and perhaps committed to memory and the book goes to swell the ever increasing pile that not unfittingly represents the stores of an active and practical mind. On other tables are piled whole hosts of papers, documents, pamphlets, treatises and essays on the drink question.The World, 21 May 1979
Temperance demonstrations
The Lawsons always allowed public access to their grounds when they were not in residence, the only proviso being that the public respect the facilities and the vegetation. School children from neighbouring towns and villages were offered special encouragement; in 1870 over 1,000 children from the Maryport district converged on the estate, where they held a picnic, played games and partook in general entertainmentMaryport Advertiser, 10 June 1874 In the winter months, climate permitting, local people could skate on the lake, while local bands performed musical concerts from the island.West Cumberland Times, 10 January 1891 However, it was the annual Temperance demonstrations accompanied by their Horticultural shows that attracted the most attention. In August 1874, 20,000 enthusiastic supporters arrived at Brayton by special trains from all parts of the northern region and Scotland to show their force and highlight their loyalty to the cause. The proceedings began with a procession around the grounds, led by marching bands, with each lodge raising their respective banners. To facilitate the public meeting, the organisers erected a raised platform for the speakers, behind which were several tiers of seats for the use of local choirs. In addition to the host Sir Wilfrid Lawson, a number of invited guests, including political and temperance figures, addressed the crowds.West Cumberland Times, 29 August 1874 In 1875, these included Thomas Burt, MP for Morpeth, A.M. Sullivan MP, the Reverend Basil Wilberforc and Joseph Mallins delivered their messages.West Cumberland Times, 28 August 1875 Such shows of force provoked The Times newspaper to describe the gathering as Sir Wilfrid Lawson's’ 'dismal army'. Lawson responded by inviting the Licensed Victuallers National Defence League to organise a picnic at the same venue, where he would gladly address the gathering and where he might compare their behaviour with that of their rival persuasion. He made one stipulation, alcohol would not be for sale, but he promised not to restrict those who carried liquor on their person. Needless to say they ignored the invitation.The Times, 29 August 1874
In December 1880 Lawson purchased the adjoining Aspatria estate, costing approximately £11,500. The baronet became the chief landowner between Maryport and Carlisle.
Brayton shorthorns The breed, originating in the northeast of England in the latter part of the 18th century, was ideal for both dairy and beef production. Pure-bred shorthorn cattle had been a feature at Brayton from the first half of the 19th century. The original animals came from the Benson and Charity strain. The pedigree went back to Volume 1 and 2 of the Coates's Herd Book where an entry records Violet the grand-dam of the original Benson tribe. In 1839, Lawson added stock from the Gwynne tribe and by careful breeding and future sales the breed dispersed throughout the country to the great improvement of the general stock.West Cumberland Times 29 September 1906 After the death of the first baronet in 1867, the new owner dispersed the herd, the 96 animals averaging a price of £34 each. Lawson retained a few cows for the dairy and the farm and after the introduction of some highly bred animals of the Bates blood, the herd soon revived.West Cumberland Times 20 August 1896 The Bates shorthorns commanded high prices. In 1874, George Moore, a neighbour and close friend of Lawson's paid £1,100 for an Oxford cow at the Duke of Devonshire’s sale. In the following year when he dispersed of his herd he sold the same cow for £2,200, while her three-month-old heifer calf realised £1,100, bought by the same Duke of Devonshire. However, it was not all good news for a cow he had bought for £1,000 three years earlier sold for only £60.Smiles page 195-6 A visitor to the estate in 1876, reported that Lawson owned 100 cows and a large number of bulls, all of Durham shorthorn stock. He understood that Lawson had paid £3,000 for a cow and owned a bull weighing 1,000 kilograms which he boasted was priceless.Lewiston Evening Journal, 9 November 1878, page 6 In October 1906, following the death of the second baronet, the third baronet sold the entire herd of 68 animals, the 61 cows and heifers realised an average of £37 each and the 7 bulls £42.West Cumberland Times, 3 October 1906
Brayton Hall fire
Notwithstanding its splendour and magnificence, Brayton Hall had a very short life.