Club members were treated to an insight into the history and future plans for Wymering Manor which is located east of Cosham. The Manor is a Grade 11* listed building, the oldest in the city of Portsmouth, and is considered to be in the top ten most important buildings in the UK. It can trace its history back to the Domesday Book. There is also evidence of a Roman settlement on the site. Like so many historic buildings, each generation has put its own particular stamp on it and its ownership is well documented back to the 13th century.
In 1959 the Manor was scheduled for demolition to make way for a housing development but, following a local campaign, the property was purchased by Portsmouth City Council and then leased to the Youth Hostel Association who used it as a Youth Hostel. It was during this period that it became a favourite of ghost hunters from across the UK including a visit from the ‘Most Haunted Live’ television programme in 2006. The Manor has been proclaimed Hampshire’s most haunted house with sudden drops in temperature, children whispering, furniture moving and apparitions of more than 20 ghosts being reported.
After being sold for a hotel development which was never realised, the Manor eventually reverted to the ownership of Portsmouth City Council. In January 2013, the council handed Wymering Manor over to the Wymering Manor Trust for £1, along with a start-up grant of £30,000 to help with the cost of restoration. The Trust received a further £50,000 from the People’s Millions, a collaboration between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV. However, when death watch beetle was found in the oak beams in 2014, the cost of restoration soared to £2.5m leaving the Trust searching for further sources of funding.
The Trust’s ambition is to restore the building and develop it as a community resource. Open days have been held and the local community consulted on the future use of the Manor. So far one room has been renovated so that it can be hired out to generate some income. A 1940s themed evening has been held there and there are plans for further events to be held over the summer.
For further information, visit the Wymering Manor Trust website: http://www.wymeringmanortrust.com/Wymering_Manor_Official/Welcome.html