How we Built Britain programme last night....?

Question

I am trying to find out the name of the house that was once the biggest house ever built in the Elizabethan times, but now there are only 2 archways that remain.
According to the programme it was built by a wealthy man who swore he would never live in it until Queen Elizabeth had visited - he spent all his money building it, died pretty much poor and the queen never visted....

Already been on their site, nothing on there :-(

Wasn't Burghley House as thats still standing- the one i'm referring too, isn't! Only the 2 archways that you went through when you 'drove' up to the house remain...

Answer 1

Holdenby Hall :

"Holdenby Arches"

"When Sir Christopher Hatton built Holdenby Hall in Northamptonshire to receive Queen Elizabeth he made it the largest private house in England. He moved an entire village, so as not to spoil the Queen’s view of the countryside. Dedicating it to her he refused to live in Holdenby himself until the Queen had visited."

"Today all that remains of Holdenby are two elegant arches that used to lead into the courtyard. Everything else has gone. And the terrible thing is Queen Elizabeth never came here. Hatton died penniless because he'd spent so much money. He was childless and unmarried. A terribly sad end to the story of a man who just wanted to please his Queen."

"How we built Britain" : http://www.enjoyengland.com/ideas/heritage-and-culture/buildings-and-monuments/how-we-built-britain.aspx

"Hatton built Holdenby - the largest private house in Elizabethan England - with 123 huge glass windows around two courtyards, specifically to honour his beloved Elizabeth. Hatton refused to live in the house prior to the Queen's first visit."

"Hatton died a few short years after the completion of Holdenby, bankrupt and childless. The house passed to James I, who used it as a place of entertainment. For his son, Charles I, it became a prison. He was held here for 5 months in 1647 after his defeat in the Civil War. The King plotted to escape but Cromwell sent Cornet Joyce with 500 soldiers to remove him to safer custody and eventual execution."

"After the Civil War, the Palace was sold to a Parliamentarian, Adam Baynes, who reduced the house to a single wing. After the Restoration in 1660, it reverted briefly to royal ownership."

"Holdenby : The History" : http://www.holdenby.com/rpmServer/generatorSystem/asp/rpmServer_GoGenerate.asp?intSiteID=15&intPageID=24&intNavbarOpen_Level1_ID=2

Answer 2

It certainley was interesting, however I was more fascinated by the 3 sided house built as a codex for Catholics.
Sorry cant help with th name, if those where the archways to the courtyard, it definatley was a BIG house.

Answer 3

It started with an H, I remember, and I think it had 3 syllables.

Answer 4

Here's the link to the BBC website - it might have it on there. I can't remember either - so frustrating!