Amadeus Glorious Magazine Issue 02
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
STONELEIGH ABBEY OUT AND ABOUT<br />
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT STONELEIGH ABBEY?<br />
Jane Austen family history<br />
Novelist Jane Austen is known primarily for her<br />
six major novels, which interpret, critique and<br />
comment upon the British landed gentry at the<br />
end of the 18th century. She visited Stoneleigh<br />
Abbey in August 1806 and took inspiration<br />
from the property for her book Mansfield<br />
Park. A close cousin of their family, the Rector<br />
Thomas Leigh, inherited the Abbey, but had to<br />
hurry to ensure he claimed his inheritance as<br />
the will was likely to be disputed. Jane and her<br />
mother happened to be staying with Thomas<br />
and so they all travelled together. Jane would<br />
go on to write about how impressed she was<br />
about the Abbey in both letters and books. Her<br />
imagination was awakened by the property<br />
and in Mansfield Park she mentions constant<br />
reflections on the Abbey.<br />
In film and on TV<br />
• Stoneleigh Abbey has most recently<br />
been featured on BBC’s Countryfile in a<br />
Shakespeare special. They discussed the<br />
magnificent ancient “Shakespeare Oak”<br />
in the grounds and filmed alongside the<br />
River Avon.<br />
• Another BBC television series –<br />
The Land Girls – was also filmed in the<br />
Stables at Stoneleigh Abbey. The location<br />
represents the main house stables in<br />
the show.<br />
• The film Nativity 3 with Martin Clunes and<br />
My Kitchen Rules were also both recently<br />
filmed at Stoneleigh Abbey.<br />
We are out of the<br />
eye of the public at<br />
Stoneleigh. We never<br />
hold two events<br />
on the same day<br />
understand that to ensure the Abbey is<br />
preserved and enjoyed by so many, funds<br />
need to be brought in from the successful<br />
commercial business <strong>Amadeus</strong> runs.<br />
“Being there selling the venue and<br />
providing lovely events really helps in<br />
maintaining the area. We always ensure that<br />
if a wedding takes place on a Friday and<br />
Saturday in one weekend, we will not have<br />
another on Sunday. Stoneleigh Abbey also<br />
runs a tea room, which opens from Easter to<br />
Halloween, and visitors can come and learn<br />
more about the venue on certain days.”<br />
The ‘off the radar’ status is supported<br />
by not being associated with English<br />
Heritage or similar associations. Katie<br />
believes this, along with its exclusivity, really<br />
provides a unique appeal to all markets.<br />
“We never want to become a wedding<br />
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 23
Change language