My wife's ancestors - Kerr - Contents

The Kerr house, Sheep St, Northampton

The Kerr house, Sheep St, Northampton (close to Church of the Holy Sepulchre, see map).
Home of Dr. William Kerr.

The Kerr house (47 Sheep St), Northampton.
The Kerr house is the 4 windows around the grand door, plus the lower building with 3 windows and archway.
[2008 Conservation Plan] says that the first 5 windows on the LHS of the stretch of white building are no.45 Sheep St (Regent House).
The next 4 windows, plus the lower building with 3 windows and archway, are no.47 Sheep St (the Kerr house).
From 2018 street view. See earlier screenshot.
On 2020 street view the house was vacant and boarded up.

This house on Sheep St, Northampton, was a property given in 1683 to the corporation of Northampton for charity.
The corporation leased it out to tenants.
Dr. William Kerr got a long-term lease of the property in Dec 1784 from Northampton corporation.
He carried out many improvements to the property. The current house is late 18th century.
Dr. William applied for freehold, which was granted in 1791.
Later the legality of this grant of freehold was the subject of a legal case.
Dr. William died 1824.

The status of Kerr's house is discussed on p.440 of An Account of Public Charities in England and Wales (1828). It describes Kerr's house as "a mansion-house, garden, stables, coach-house, and pleasure-ground".
The status of the house is the subject of the [1840 case].
Dr. William's widow died 1841.
Dr. William's niece Jane Kerr (widow of the scientist Humphry Davy) lived in the house at one point, probably in 1841-55.

Page 100 of [Cox and Serjeantson, 1897] says the house is "now occupied by Mrs. Bostock".
The Bostock house is listed as 47 Sheep St.
The Kerr house (47 Sheep St) is now Northampton Ex-Servicemen's Club.

Dr. William Kerr listed (see near bottom) at Sheep St, Northampton, on p.330

of The London Gazette, Jan-June 1815.

Extract from OS map. Surveyed: 1883. Published: 1885.
The Kerr house ("S.D.") has extensive gardens.

Extract from OS map. Revised: 1899. Published: 1901.
The Kerr house ("S.D.") has extensive gardens.

Map showing Kerr's house (47 Sheep St).
See full size.
From Holy Sepulchre Conservation Area.

[2008 Conservation Plan] confirms that the Ex-Servicemen's Club is Kerr's house.
It says that Kerr largely re-built the street.

The Kerr house (47 Sheep St), Northampton.
Photo 2014. See larger and full size.
Courtesy of Steven Collis of Buildings of Northampton. Used with permission.
See also black and white version. From here in Sheep St album. And on Sheep St page.

No. 45 (Regent House) and no. 47 (the Kerr house).
Photo 2023. See larger and full size.

No. 45 (Regent House) and no. 47 (the Kerr house).
Photo 2023. See larger and full size.
See close-up of no. 45.

The front door of the Kerr house.
Photo 2023. See larger and full size.
See other shot.

The archway to the RHS.
Photo 2023. See larger and full size.

3D view of the front.
From here.

3D view of the rear, from the road to the W.
From here.
See also street view.

References

Attorney General v. Kerr, pp.190-195 of The Law Journal Reports, Volume 9, Part 1, 1840.
Holy Sepulchre Conservation Area Plan 2008. Northampton Borough Council.

Sources yet to be consulted

Attorney General v. Kerr, pp.406-408 of The Jurist, 1840, vol.4.