Image ID: 08194

The Denison Family Memorial at Ossington - (with Home Farm to the rear)

Ossington
England

In the Middle Ages Ossington had belonged to the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, from whom it passed to the Duke of Suffolk, Richard Andrews and then to the Cartwright family. The Hall (see NCCE001932-56) was built c 1728 by George Cartwright. In 1753 the estate was bought by William Denison, a successful Leeds woollen merchant who was then engaged in transferring much of his capital into property. William Denison, followed by his brother Robert, made plans for improvements and alterations to Ossington Hall, particularly during the 1780s. It was subsequently inherited by their nephew John Wilkinson who changed his name to Denison, and continued the improvements begun by his uncles. The house remained in the Denison family until its demolition in 1963. Most notable amongst the Denisons was John Evelyn Denison (1800-1873). The Ossington estates passed to him on the death of his father, John Wilkinson Denison, in 1820. He was an MP and Speaker of the House of Commons (1857-1872). He married Lady Charlotte Cavendish-Bentinck (third daughter of the 4th Duke of Portland) in 1827, and became the !st (and last) Viscount Ossington in 1872 (pictures of him can be seen at NCCE001929-31). His wife, Lady Charlotte, held a high position in Queen Victoria's Court, and is most well known locally for having the Ossington Coffee Palace in Newark built in 1882. Another notable family member was William Denison (1804-1871), who began his career as a military engineer and was involved with the construction of the Rideau Canal in Canada. He was knighted in 1846 and became lieutenant-governor of Van Dieman's Land. He was later governor of New South Wales, Australia and Madras, India. In addition to the family home at Ossington Hall, and other lands in Nottinghamshire, the Denison estates included lands in Lincolnshire, County Durham and Yorkshire, as well as their businesses in Leeds. The design of Ossington Hall has been attributed to the architect John Gibbs. Further work (notably Ossington church - see NCCE002001) was executed by John Carr of York, whilst the entrance front was remodelled in the 19th century by William Lindley of Doncaster. The Denison family ( see NCCE002000 and NCCE001947) continued to live at the hall until it was demolished in 1963, and today only some garden features such as the terrace, lake, and 'baluster sundial' (designed in 1812 by Arthur Buckle) remain. The sundial now resides in the churchyard at Ossington. The papers of John Evelyn Denison, Viscount Ossington; Sir William T. Denison; estate papers and deeds concerning family lands; architectural plans for the Ossington estate and legal and financial papers are held at the University of Nottingham Library.

Date: 1900

Organisation Reference: NCCE002002

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