The original building on the site of Bodenham Manor was pulled down when the Rev. Henry Arkwright was appointed as clergyman of Bodenham in 1842 by his uncle John Hungerford Arkwright who was the grandson of Sir Richard Arkwright of cotton spinning fame.
A new house, The Vicarage, was built in 1843/44 which belonged to the church, and Henry Arkwright with his fast growing family moved in in 1850 – he stayed there until he died in 1889.
After Henry’s death, the house was found to be just too big for subsequent vicars, and it became part of the Hampton Court Estate, renaming itself Bodenham Manor. It was then let out.
In 1969 the manor was sold, and after major renovations and developments became a school for children with learning difficulties. It was owned by the Bodenham Manor Charities Trust, and the headmaster Mr. David Hughes worked hard to help the boys who were disadvantaged.
The school closed in 1987, when it was bought by the Taylor family who turned the estate into something of a pleasure park, with bars, rifle ranges, go cart racing, paintball, function rooms, restaurants etc. etc., which was all well and good, but unfortunately the owners didn’t value the glorious grounds and allowed rubble, rubbish and waste metals to be dumped in great piles all over the place. The Arkwrights must have been turning in their graves.
On the death of Ray Taylor, his son inherited the house and found he owed enormous death duties – eventually the banks repossessed Bodenham Manor and it was sold at auction. The new owner took up residence in a caravan whilst carrying out essential renovation work, but was hassled to a remarkable degree by the son of Ray Taylor (a vast amount of information is out there on the internet so I won’t attempt to unravel it on here – just type in Taylor – Bodenham Manor) who could not accept that he no longer owned the house.
In 2014 the house was again put up for sale at auction but was unsold – described thus:
“Bodenham Manor is located in the village of Bodenham, situated to the north of Bodenham Lakes, and has an elevated position with far reaching views across Bodenham Lake Nature Reserve, Deer Park and surrounding countryside.
It is approached by a private driveway and requires modernisation and updating.
It comprises :
Main Building – substantial three storey extended manor house and basement, with stone elevations and internally arranged as 9-11 flats; ground floor entrance; hall; former restaurant; bar; function room; kitchens; offices; WCs; ancillary rooms, and cellar.
Outbuildings – (former stable block), function rooms, bar area, kitchen, WCs on the ground floor; kitchen, shower room WCs on the first floor.
The future of this once lovely house is now in the balance.
The Arkwrights had at least twelve children, and it is rather nice to note that the same Nurse, Sarah Bradbury, stayed with the family to look after the brood through the years.
1851 – Bodenham Manor Household (the Vicarage)
| Henry Arkwright | 40 | Vicar of Bodenham | b. Cromford, Derbyshire |
| Ellen Arkwright | 31 | Wife | b. Ireland |
| Henrietta E. Arkwright | 11 | Daughter | b. Cheshire |
| Sophia M. Arkwright | 10 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Mary E. Arkwright | 9 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Henry J. Arkwright | 7 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Charles E. Arkwright | 3 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Ellen A. Arkwright | 2 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Hubert E. Arkwright | 2 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Margret Henden | 28 | Governess | b. London |
| William Kedds | 29 | Butler | |
| Hannah Hollamby | 30 | Housekeeper | b. Surrey |
| Sarah Bradbury | 27 | Head Housemaid | b. Staffordshire |
| Sarah Evans | 24 | Lady’s Maid | |
| Esther Deen | 24 | Housemaid | b. Gloucestershire |
| Esther Hoile | 26 | Housemaid | b. Rye, Sussex |
| Ann Joseph | 18 | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire | |
| Sarah Heon (?) | 13 | b. Herefordshire |
1861 – Bodenham Manor Household (the Vicarage
| Henry Arkwright | 50 | Vicar of Bodenham | b. Cromford, Derbyshire |
| Ellen Arkwright | 41 | Wife | b. Ireland |
| Henrietta Arkwright | 21 | Daughter | b. Cheshire |
| Sophia M. Arkwright | 20 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Louisa M. Arkwright | 19 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Henry J. Arkwright | 17 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Charles E. Arkwright | 13 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Ellen E. Arkwright | 11 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Gerald P. Arkwright | 9 | Son | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Margery B. Arkwright | 7 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Katherine M. Arkwright | 6 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Florence Arkwright | 5 | Daughter | b. Torquay, Devon |
| Augusta F. Arkwright | 3 | Daughter | b. Clifton, Somerset |
| Mary Williams | 31 | Cook/Housekeeper | b. Herefordshire |
| Mary Whichelow | 36 | Lady’s Maid | b. Berkshire |
| Sarah Bradbury | 47 | Head Nurse | b. Staffordshire |
| Esther Hoyle | 30 | Under Nurse | b. Rye, Sussex |
| Harriet Simpson | 25 | Housemaid | b. Worcestershire |
| Jane Hartland | 20 | Under Housemaid | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Mary A. Oliver | 20 | Kitchenmaid | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Harriet Williams | 15 | Nursery Girl | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| John Westlake | 18 | Footman | b. Sutton, Herefordshire |
1871 – Bodenham Manor Household (the Vicarage)
| Henry Arkwright | 60 | Clergyman | b. Cromford, Derbyshire |
| Ellen Arkwright | 51 | Wife | b. Tyrone, Ireland |
| Ellen Amy Arkwright | 21 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Margery Bertha Arkwright | 18 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Catharine Florence Arkwright | 16 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Florence Arkwright | 15 | Daughter | b. Torquay, Devon |
| Augusta Janet Arkwright | 13 | Daughter | b. Clevedon, Somerset |
| George Barnard | 35 | Butler | b. Hampshire |
| Jane Parratt | 27 | Cook/Housekeeper | b. Sussex |
| Sarah Bradbury | 55 | Head Nurse | b. Staffordshire |
| Charlotte Knebst | 25 | Lady’s Maid | b. Switzerland |
| Esther Hoyle | 44 | Under Nurse | b. Rye, Sussex |
| Matthew Caldicutt | 23 | Footman | b. Sutton, Herefordshire |
| Harriet Drew | 21 | Kitchen Maid | b. Ledbury, Herefordshire |
| Catharine Haynes | 22 | Head Housemaid | b. Kings Pyon, Herefordshire |
| Ellen Eckley | 21 | Under Housemaid | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
1881 – Bodenham Manor Household (the Vicarage)
| Henry Arkwright | 70 | Vicar of Bodenham | b. Cromford, Derbyshire |
| Ellen Arkwright | 61 | Wife | b. Ireland |
| Ellen Amy Arkwright | 31 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Katharine Arkwright | 26 | Daughter | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Florence Arkwright | 25 | Daughter | b. Torquay, Devon |
| Augusta J. Arkwright | 23 | Daughter | b. Clevedon, Somerset |
| Elizabeth Dickenson | 29 | Cook/Housekeeper | b. Chesterwood, Northumberland |
| Sarah Bradbury | 64 | Nurse | b. Staffordshire |
| Arthur William Poppey | 25 | Butler | b. London |
| Harriet L. Bailey | 22 | Housemaid | b. Hereford |
| Selina Griffiths | 22 | Housemaid | b. Bromyard, Herefordshire |
| Mary Jane Griffiths | 20 | Kitchenmaid | b. Bromyard, Herefordshire |
| Rosetta Granger | 14 | Scullery Maid | b. Bodenham, Herefordshire |
| Henry Eagleton | 31 | Groom | b. Elmhurst |
| Walter Cranfield | 17 | Footman | b. Melbourne, Derbyshire |
1921 – Bodenham Manor Household (The Vicarage)
| Henry Arkwright | b. Derbyshire, 1811 | Clergyman | |
| Ellen Arkwright | b. Ireland 1820 | Wife | |
| Ellen Amy Arkwright | b. Herefordshire 1850 | Daughter | |
| Margery Bertha Arkwright | b. Herefordshire 1853 | Daughter | |
| Catherine Florence Arkwright | b. Herefordshire 1855 | Daughter | |
| Florence Arkwright | b. Devon 1856 | Daughter | |
| Augusta Janet Arkwright | b. Somerset 1858 | Daughter | |
| George Barnard | b. Hampshire 1836 | Butler | |
| Jane Parratt | b. Sussex 1844 | Cook/Housekeeper | |
| Sarah Bradbury | b. Staffordshire 1816 | Head Nurse | |
| Charlotte Knebet | b. Switzerland 1846 | Lady’s Maid | |
| Esther Hoyle | b. Sussex 1827 | Under Nurse | |
| Matthew Caldicutt | b. Herefordshire 1848 | Footman | |
| Harriet Drew | b. Herefordshire 1850 | Kitchen Maid | |
| Catherine Haynes | b. Herefordshire 1848 | Head Housemaid | |
| Ellen Eckley | b. Herefordshire 1859 | Under Housemaid |