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Danny
and its History
The
name Danny is a corruption of the Saxon
Danehithe, meaning "valley and haven". The
site has been used ever since early Iron
Age men came down the steep sides of their
camp on the top of Wolstonbury
Hill
in search of game and fresh water. The
Domesday Book of 1086 recorded that
'Robert holds Herst of William', i.e. that
Robert de Pierpoint held the land from
William de Warenne, who was a son-in-law
of the Conqueror.
There
has been a house of some sort on this site
since the 13th century, originally little
more than a hunting-lodge, serving the
Park granted by Royal Charter in the 13th
Century to the de Pierpoints. The house in
its present form dates from 1586. It was
built by Geroge Goring who held the
lucrative post of ward of courts under
Elizabeth 1. His grandson was made the
Earl of Norwich and was one of the main
financiers of King Charles 1 in the Civil
War. The Earl's son, Sir George Goring was
a leading general in the Civil War. After
four generations of Gorings, Danny was
sold to Peter Courthope in 1650. In 1702,
Barbara Courthope married Henry Campion,
and in 1725 they made Danny their home,
and soon undertook extensive alterations,
as is confirmed by the date 1728 and their
initials on the leaden water-pipes.
Several generations of Campions
followed.
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 The
house has many historical links, the main
one being in 1918, when it was rented for
three months for Prime Minister Lloyd
George. He lived here with his dog, his
wife Margaret and his secretary/mistress
Frances Stevenson.
He
held regular conferences in the Great
Hall, where on 13 October they agreed the
terms of the Armistice to be offered to
Germany at the end of the Great War. There
were some letters, written from Danny,
from Lloyd George to Frances Stevenson,
one of which read:
"My
darling Pussy. You might phone from the
Treasury on Friday if you can come. Don't
let Hankey see you. If Saturday
impossible, what about Monday? Fondest
love to my own.
D"
(Hankey
was then Cabinet Secretary).
The
house was taken over by Country Houses
Association in 1956. It was bought by
Richard Burrows in 2004, to maintain it as
serviced apartments for retired people and
as a family business. In 2007, Danny House
celebrated 50 years as a retirement home.
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Going
back in
Time
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Iron
Age
There was an Iron Age camp on the top
of Wolstonbury Hill.
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Roman
Times
The Sussex Greensand Way Roman road
passed through the park in an east to west
direction, making an alignment change on
the hill to the north of the property. The
road survives as a terrace on the shoulder
of the hill, a hollow way leading down the
hill and an elevated strip leading to the
stream.
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Domesday
Book
The 1086 Domesday Book recorded that
Robert holds Herst of William, i.e. that
Robert de Pierpoint held the land from
William De Warenne, who was a son-in-law
of William the Conqueror.
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13th
Century
There has been a house of some sort on
this site since the 13th century,
originally little more than a hunting
lodge, when the medieval Park of Danny was
enclosed by the last Sir Simon de
Pierpoint in 1343.
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Late
16th Century
The house in its present form dates
from the early sixteenth century but was
reconstructed and enlarged by Charles
Goring in 1586.
It
was designed in the shape of the letter E
to represent the Queen (Elizabeth I of
England) who had been on the throne for 30
years at the commencement of work, and is
a fine example of Elizabethan
architecture.
The
current house has two main fronts, the
east 16th Century, the south early
Georgian. The brick-built east frontage is
monumental, the south front stately, the
whole building a prominent element in
views from the downs. It stands to three
storeys.
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Danny
House and grounds, from a 1666
map
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Mid
17th Century
After four generations of Gorings,
Danny was sold to Peter Courthope in 1650.
In 1652 Danny Great Park was 54 ha (135
acres) with arable land and meadow
amounting to about 170 ha (420 acres). The
parkland still contains large, noble oaks
of varying ages and growth
patterns.
In
1702, Barbara Courthope married Henry
Campion, and in 1725 they made Danny their
home, and soon undertook extensive
alterations, including the re-fronting of
the south side of the house as is
confirmed by the date 1728 and their
initials on the leaden water-pipes.
Several generations of Campions
followed.
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