Believed to date back to Tudor times, Ye Grange's most famous recent inhabitant was William Harbutt, the inventor of plasticine, who lived in Ye Grange and ran his plasticine manufacturing operations from here from the turn of the 20th century until his death in 1921.
Passed to William's descendants, Ye Grange continued to be headquarters to the world's plasticine making operation until its closure in 1983, when much of the land surrounding Ye Grange, including the factory mill-on the edge of the Kennet and Avon canal, was sold.
The inventor of one of the world's best loved toys is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Church, a few moments walk away in Bathampton, along with a number of other luminaries, including the impressionist painter Walter Sickert - and Viscount du Barry, who has the distinction of being the last person to have died in a legal duel in Britain. Mortally wounded he was taken to the George Pub where it is said his ghost now haunts!
Also buried here is Captain Arthur Phillip, who was the first Governor in Chief of New South Wales in 1788. The Australia Chapel is an important monument for Australians, whose flag the church has special approval to fly on Australia Day.
The present owners have been in residence since the summer of 2007 and are proud to have overseen a careful programme of restoration work to Ye Grange, in the process transforming the end wing into a self contained annexed cottage, for whose whimsical name - Wee Grange - we are indebted to son-in-law James!
Passed to William's descendants, Ye Grange continued to be headquarters to the world's plasticine making operation until its closure in 1983, when much of the land surrounding Ye Grange, including the factory mill-on the edge of the Kennet and Avon canal, was sold.
The inventor of one of the world's best loved toys is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Church, a few moments walk away in Bathampton, along with a number of other luminaries, including the impressionist painter Walter Sickert - and Viscount du Barry, who has the distinction of being the last person to have died in a legal duel in Britain. Mortally wounded he was taken to the George Pub where it is said his ghost now haunts!
Also buried here is Captain Arthur Phillip, who was the first Governor in Chief of New South Wales in 1788. The Australia Chapel is an important monument for Australians, whose flag the church has special approval to fly on Australia Day.
The present owners have been in residence since the summer of 2007 and are proud to have overseen a careful programme of restoration work to Ye Grange, in the process transforming the end wing into a self contained annexed cottage, for whose whimsical name - Wee Grange - we are indebted to son-in-law James!
