Sir Alfred discovered Asthtall Manor, Burford while pursuing his love of fishing and had it as his country home for several years. He lived there with his second wife Florence and his daughter Gladys often accompanied them. He was staying there when in 1915 he received the telegram from the War Ministry asking him to come to London to help the war effort. In 1917 he arranged for the house to be used as a convalescent home for soldiers wounded in the 1st World War*. After the war, the house was taken back or bought by the Mitfords as Sir Alfred had by then purchased his own estate at Dunley in Hampshire.
*Similarly, he bought Town Thorns Manor in 1940 as a refuge for Coventry children bombed out of their homes and gave it to the City.
Click here for a post about Ashtall Manor today (2014)
Click here for a post about 'Debo' Devonshire's 2010 book, 'Wait For Me' in which she describes the family's life at Ashtall.
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