# Golden Parsonage

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Country House in Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden

The Golden Parsonage The Golden Parsonage Location within Hertfordshire General information Type Country House Location Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden Coordinates 51°48′5.4″N 0°28′40.44″W / 51.801500°N 0.4779000°W / 51.801500; -0.4779000 Completed c. 1705[1]

**The Golden Parsonage** is a [Grade II* listed](/source/Grade_II*_listed)[1] [country house](/source/English_country_house) in [Great Gaddesden](/source/Great_Gaddesden), [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire), and is part of the Gaddesden Estate.[2] The house remains in the ownership of the [Halsey Family](/source/Halsey_baronets).

## History

The land upon which the Golden Parsonage sits, was once a part of the [King's Langley Priory](/source/King's_Langley_Priory), having been owned on the Orders behalf by the Prioress of Dartford.[2] Part of this land was farmed by John Halsey who tenanted at the site from 1520 onwards. Following the [Dissolution of the Monasteries](/source/Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries), the Priory closed and the land passed to [The Crown](/source/Crown_Estate). In 1544, the land was purchased for £174 13s 4d by William Halsey, John's son.[2] The land was subsequently passed down the Halsey family. One of John's descendants, [Thomas Halsey](/source/Thomas_Halsey_(1591%E2%80%931679)) emigrated to [Southampton, New York](/source/Southampton%2C_New_York) and in 1660 built [Halsey House](/source/Halsey_House_(Southampton%2C_New_York)). Halsey House now stands as a museum and is one of the oldest buildings in [New York](/source/New_York_(state)). [3]

The Golden Parsonage as it now stands is credited to [Thomas Halsey (1655–1715)](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Halsey_(1655%E2%80%931715)&action=edit&redlink=1),[2] a [Tory](/source/Tories_(British_political_party)) [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament) for [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), having been built in c. 1705.[1] Thomas was married Anne, the daughter of noted alchemist, statesman and co-founder of the [Royal Society](/source/Royal_Society), [Thomas Henshaw](/source/Thomas_Henshaw_(alchemist)).[2] The avenue of [Lime Trees](/source/Tilia) was planted by Thomas's son, Henshaw Halsey, a monument for whom stands in St John the Baptish Church in Great Gaddesden, created by Flemish Sculptor [John Michael Rysbrack](/source/John_Michael_Rysbrack).[4]

In 1768, Thomas Halsey feeling that the Golden Parsonage was out of date, commissioned [James Wyatt](/source/James_Wyatt) to design and build a new seat for the Halsey family in the style of a [Palladian Villa](/source/Palladian_villas_of_the_Veneto).[2] This would become [Gaddesden Place](/source/Gaddesden_Place). The family would live in Gaddesden Place until 1950, when [Sir Thomas Halsey](/source/Sir_Thomas_Halsey%2C_3rd_Baronet) would return the family to the Golden Parsonage.[2] Further alterations to the Parsonage would be made in 1869, when [Frederick Halsey](/source/Frederick_Halsey) would build a [Billiard room](/source/Billiard_room). With the Halsey family living at Gaddesden Place, the Golden Parsonage was used for other purposes. Most notably for sixty years starting in 1875, the house served as a boys [prep school](/source/Preparatory_school_(United_Kingdom)), of which [Thomas J. Bata](/source/Thomas_J._Bata) was a notable student.[5]

Since their return in 1950, the Golden Parsonage has remained as the home of the Halsey family, and is currently overseen by Nicholas, Viola and Guy Halsey. The present head of the family however, is Rev. Brother John Halsey who eschews his inherited title.[2]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-he_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-he_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-he_1-2) [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Golden Parsonage (1101260)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1101260?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved December 11, 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-sitehistory_2-7) ["History - Gaddesden Estate"](http://www.gaddesdenestate.co.uk/history/). Retrieved December 11, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Southampton Historical Museum"](http://www.southamptonhistoricalmuseum.org/our-historic-properties). Retrieved December 18, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["A&A - Monument to Henshaw Halsey"](http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/images/conway/1ce61494.html). Retrieved December 18, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Thomas J. Bata. [*Bata: Shoemaker to the World*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4720154-bata), page 18. pub. [Stoddart Publishing](/source/Stoddart_Publishing).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Golden Parsonage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Parsonage) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Parsonage?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.