Mayflower Place, Hertford

Cowper Memorial Hall, Mayflower Place

‘Mayflower Place’: A wife’s testimony to her late husband

The vast lineage of Earldom of the famous Cowper family of Hertfordshire was extinguished upon the 7th Earl Cowper, Lord Francis’ death in 1905. His wife, Lady Katrine Cowper was left a childless widow, who in the memory of her late husband erected a village hall on the Panshanger estate.

The hall was completed in 1910, but Katrine tragically never lived to see the finished build. Her contribution and memory however, live on after her own death, with a wooden panel located in the billiard room being hand carved by the lady herself. The beautiful Victorian like exterior proudly bares the Cowper coat of arms and the Latin phrase ‘TUUM EST’ meaning ‘is for you’ or ‘is yours’.

The building was used for numerous functions for the village of Hertingfordbury, and upon the Auction and demolition of Panshanger House and its Estate in 1954, the building was bought by a Mr Salmond. From there the Hall began its new legacy under the name of ‘Mayflower Place’ (which it is today) with a wooden plaque paying testimony to the Countess Cowper for her contribution to the construction of the building.

‘Mayflower place’ is currently a centre which provides facilities for numerous functions such as Masonic orders, the Women’s Institute, weddings, parties etc and can be privately hired online.

 

This page was added on 19/01/2017.

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