In the 1830s, Mr Thomas Hotchkin, Lord
of the Manor of Woodhall Spa, had a bath house built over a spring
of water which many people, including himself, found beneficial to
health.
Visiting a spa was a fashionable pursuit at this time and as people
heard of this new spring and came to sample it, Mr Hotchkin set about
the construction of a hotel in which to accommodate them.
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| Figure 1 – This early photograph,
taken from Coronation Road, shows the main entrance to the
hotel to the left of the photograph. The Spa Baths can
be seen in the rear, right of the photograph. Photo
courtesy of Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum |
This hostelry was completed in 1839 and 12 months later a group
of medical men of the area, plus local gentry, met at “The
New Hotel” to celebrate the opening of the Spa. Interestingly,
this was before the water had been analysed.
In his book “Spas of England”, published in 1841, Dr
Granville M. D. F. R. S describes how he advised Mr Hotchkin on the
advisability of “procuring a perfect and correct knowledge
of the chemical composition of the water”. He describes
the hotel as a “neat, unostentatious edifice, honoured with
the name of Victoria” (Queen Victoria had ascended to the throne
in 1837.). The two principal fronts faced South and West and
there were two rows of stables separated by a large courtyard. Inside
there was a dining room, morning room and drawing room, single as
well as double bedrooms, the best of which had a favourable aspect,
overlooking a fir plantation, or giving extended views towards Horncastle,
or Tattershall Castle. The furniture was new and of the best
kind and the Manageress was “active and mistress of her business,
with an imposing figure and intelligent countenance.” The “spirited
proprietor was determined to spare no expense to render this Spa
deserving of the countenance of the better classes of society.” Sadly,
the worthy doctor did not feel these “better classes” were
aware of this Spa yet, for judging by the names and handwriting in
the register, he deemed the majority of visitors were “farmers
or people of the industrial classes.” The terms of the
hotel were not considered extravagant. Single board for a day
was 5 shillings, with 1 shilling more for a bedroom. Board
and lodging for a servant was 3 shillings. A private sitting
room cost 6 shillings a day.
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Figure
2 – The main entrance to the Victoria Hotel, taken
in the early 1900s. The gardener is standing on what
is now Coronation Road. The area behind the gardener
is now woodland (The “Ups and Downs”). Photo
courtesy of Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum |
The Spa proved popular and when Mr T. J. S. (Stafford) Hotchkin
succeeded his father as local Squire, in 1849, he set about replacing
the building erected by his father with a large commodious hotel
set in grounds of 100 acres. This proved a wise decision, for
when the railway reached the Spa, in 1855, numbers of visitors requiring
accommodation increased considerably. (Figs 1, 2 and 3)
The Spa Baths and the Victoria Hotel were leased to Dr Robert Cuffe,
M. R. C. S. for no less than 21 years, from 1862 until 1883. After
he retired, the hotel was refurbished under the management of Mr
A. J. Heaton. A bill of 1885 gives the total price of a visit
lasting from luncheon on 15 May, until after breakfast on the 21st,
as £9 – 13 – 6d.
However, Squire Hotchkin decided to sell the hotel and 70 acres
of land, although the enterprise was still a flourishing concern. Mr.
W. Colburn became Manager in January, 1886 and in April there was
an advertisement for a cook who must “understand” soups,
entrees and jellies. There had evidently been much discussion
about the proposed sale because a Syndicate of several worthy gentlemen
was formed to purchase the concern. On the 3rd July, the transaction
was completed and on 31st of that month it was reported that the
hotel was full to overflowing and ladies and gentlemen of title,
as well as admirals and generals, desiring of staying at the Victoria,
had to be turned away and were obliged to return to London.
There was an enthusiastic article in the Horncastle News on 21st
August of that year. The reporter was effusive in his praise
of the establishment. The grounds, he said, “are of a
most extensive and pleasant description” and “adjoining
the well kept gardens are capital cricket, croquet and lawn tennis
grounds. The stabling arrangements are excellent and there
are plenty of lockup coach houses. As far as outdoor advantages
are concerned, the Victoria Hotel is simply perfection.” One
begins to wonder if the indoor arrangements were not but no, there
is gratifying praise for the interior of the hotel, also. Under
the management of Mr. Charles Hawkins and his wife (who is “without
a superior as a manageress”), it is described as “one
of the best appointed and best managed establishments of its kind
in the kingdom”, its only drawback being that it is not half
big enough to accommodate the ever increasing number of would be
guests. The drawing room is described as “a grand apartment,
elegantly furnished.” And with its spacious dining room, “capital” smoking
room, ladies room, sitting room, good billiard room and bedrooms “calculated
to give satisfaction to the most fastidious of visitors,” it
possessed all the attributes of a high class hotel. At the
rear of the hotel was a restaurant and here again the reporter waxed
enthusiastic, commenting that diners are served with the “excellence
and rapidity of the Criterion and other great metropolitan restaurants.”
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Figure 3 – The rear of the Victoria Hotel, after
extension, taken from the extensive hotel grounds. The
area is now woodlands. Photo courtesy of Woodhall Spa
Cottage Museum. |
However, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins did not last long, for in April 1887
it was announced that the hotel had been let “for a term of
years” to Mr. John Roberts, Proprietor of St. James Hall, Piccadilly
and other esteemed establishments. The entire hotel of 150
rooms was to be reorganised.
The spacious grounds were utilised for garden parties and bazaars
such as one held in June 1887, which was in aid of the Kirkstead
Methodist Chapel and was opened by the mayor of Lincoln.
Sadly, in June of that year the death occurred of Mr Heaton who
had been Manager of the hotel just two or three years previously.
At the beginning of the following year, the hotel had been “entirely
remodelled and beautifully refurbished throughout”. The
garden was surrounded by a park of 70 acres.
It was decided to have a special inaugural day to celebrate the
work of the Syndicate and many important personages were invited. A
special train conveyed visitors from London, among who were Lord
Colville, Chairman of the Great Northern Railway, and Directors and
the General Manager of that Company. There were titled people,
ecclesiastical dignitaries, including the Bishop of Nottingham, eminent
doctors from far and near and Major Davis, architect of the baths
at Bath, under whose direction the remodelling of the Baths here
had been effected by the Syndicate. The Mayor of Lincoln was
present and, naturally, the gentlemen of the Syndicate, no doubt
anxious for the guests’ approval of the alternatives. They
were:- Rt. Hon. Edward Stanhope, M.P. for Horncastle and Secretary
of State for War; Rt. Hon. Henry Chaplin M.P.; Sir Richard Webster,
Attorney General; T Cheney Garfit Esq. and Rev J. O. Stephens. A
triumphal arch of evergreens, flowers, and shields, had been erected
at the entrance to the Hotel grounds, surmounted by the words “Success
to Woodhall Spa”. The guests enjoyed a sumptuous luncheon,
in a specially erected marquee, which was followed by toasts and
speeches. They were shown around the entire complex and were “loud
in their praises thereof”. The new South wing of the
hotel, which had 17 bedrooms with private sitting rooms, was considered
to be an elegant and tasteful addition, as well as considerably increasing
the accommodation available.
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Figure 4 – Firemen
on the roof of the Victoria Hotel damping down after the
fire on Easter Sunday 1920. Photo courtesy of Woodhall
Spa Cottage Museum |
The Syndicate did not rest on its laurels for less than a year later
it was reported that a magnificent dining room seating 160 people
and with a minstrels’ gallery for balls and soirées
had been built. The chef of the Victoria, Monsieur A. Kruz,
was evidently top notch, for he won a bronze medal for “artistic
cookery”, with his creation of “aspic de foie gras aux
truffles”, at a cookery exhibition in London, in May 1889.
The Victoria Hotel was the obvious choice for the celebratory luncheon,
again attended by the great and the good, at the opening of the Alexandra
Hospital, in May 1890. The gathering was served consommé,
salads (one of lobster), quail pie, pigeon pie, galantine of chicken
truffe, forequarter of lamb, fore rib of beef, boar’s head,
York ham etc., with an array of desserts, including strawberries,
cheesecakes and Charlotte a la Vanille.
In June, Mr Roberts “carried the respect and good wishes of
everybody” when he relinquished his post as Manager of the
Hotel. He was succeeded by Mr. Paine, who brought with him “the
fashionable atmosphere of Brighton”.
By August, the hotel was reported as being absolutely full with
not so much as an attic room unoccupied. The billiard room
had been improved and the table was “one of the best in the
country”. The following week, the fashionable Mr. Paine
introduced music in the dining room. The minstrels’ gallery
was prettily decorated and the Spa band, stationed there, played
during the course of the meal. However, perhaps the gentleman
from Brighton proved too fashionable for Lincolnshire taste for he
was replaced by Mr. and Mrs. Hunt at the end of May 1890, having
been here less than a year.
In Edwardian times, it cost 12/- a day for a room on the ground
floor and 13/6 for the first floor, except during the high season,
mid July to mid September, when it was more expensive. Rooms
for servants cost 2/- and 5/-. A fire in a bedroom was 2/-
extra, but only 1/- if it was required for the morning alone. Hip
baths in bedrooms were 6d, dinner (including coffee was 5/- and as
Woodhall Spa became noted for golf, after the opening of Mr Hotchkin’s
Golf Links, in 1905, there was a Golfers’ Special Weekend. This
consisted of 1st class rail, return from King’s Cross, all
meals from Friday lunch to Monday breakfast, and the golf fee. It
cost a staggering £2.15.
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Figure 5 – Part
of the gutted interior of the Victoria Hotel after the
fire on Easter Sunday 1920. Photo courtesy of Woodhall
Spa Cottage Museum |
After the dark days of World War 1, it was hoped that the Woodhall
Spa baths and the Victoria Hotel would draw crowds of visitors as
before. Alas, disaster struck less than 2 years after the war
had ended. At this time, the hotel had a turnover of £25,000
a year. In the spring of 1920, the building had just been
redecorated for the start of the Season when, early in the morning
of Easter Sunday 4th April, an electrical fault started a fire in
the boiler room, which spread to the linen room above. The
wife of the porter, James Rose, smelled burning at 3.30 a.m. The
Manager, Capt. Farmer, aroused the staff and guests, who were evacuated
from the hotel, although some helped to remove furniture to the lawns
outside. Woodhall Spa and Horncastle Fire Brigades were called
out, but the fire was burning furiously by the time they arrived. The
fire fighters were handicapped by lack of water as the hydrant was
on the Broadway and was only enough for one jet. Later, an
elderly resident who remembered the fire, recalled water being obtained
from the stream that runs behind the Teahouse. Another said
that the local Brigade had worried that the hotel was a fire risk. “Mt
father was Captain of the Fire Brigade and he thought there should
have been a lake in the grounds - they had just about everything
else!” Residents awoke to see flames high above the trees
and made their way to the hotel to see if they could help. The
fire brigade from Lincoln set off to lend assistance but the rear
axle of the brand new motor engine broke 10 miles away. To
the horror and dismay of the people of Woodhall Spa, their prestigious
and beautiful hotel was gutted. It was the end of an era. (Figs
4 and 5)
The hotel was never rebuilt and the area has reverted to woodland. Vegetation
has grown over the foundations, causing lines of small hillocks;
giving the area the local name of “The Ups and Downs”. Many
of the exotic and specimen trees planted in the hotel gardens can
still be seen mixed in with the native trees.
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Arts
& Crafts
Heritage
Trail - Location 3 
