In the nave of Hoxne Church is a wall memorial to Agnes Burrell Bateman-Hanbury [1831-1918] who was the daughter of Sir Edward Kerrison [1776-1853] and his wife Mary Martha Ellice [1793-1860]. She was married to William Bateman-Hanbury [1826-1901] 2nd Baron Bateman. The Bateman family were seated at Shobdon Court, Herefordshire and married into the Hanbury family of Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire.
Agnes inherited the Oakley Park Estate from her brother Sir Edward Clarence Kerrison [1821-1886] who was married to Caroline Fox-Strangways [d.1895] but had no issue. Agnes and William were the parents of William [1856-1931], Edward Reginald [1859-1907], Walter [1862-1904], Agnes Rosamund [1866-1947], Geoffrey [1868-1888], Charles Stanhope [1877-1931], Margaret [b.1870], Maud Francis [1856-1932], Getrude Emily [1861-1927], Evelyn Augusta [1858-1908] and Rachel Selina [1875-1971].
Oakley Park was inherited by William 3rd Baron Bateman [1856-1931] who married Marian Alice Graham of New York in 1904, but they had no issue. With the death of Lady Agnes in 1918, the stability of the Oakley Park Estate was put into question as a mortgage had been taken out on the estate. The Oakley Park Estate was put up for sale and by 1921 Oakley Park had been demolished and the materials, fittings and furnishings were sold.
William 3rd Baron Bateman named his brother Charles as his heir but both brothers died in 1931. By that time the Oakley Park Estate including Brome Hall had been sold off. The purchaser of the site of Oakley Park and other properties on the estate was Sir Rowland Hodge [1859-1950] the shipbuilder and property speculator.
Lady Agnes Bateman resided at Brome Hall as did her brother Sir Edward Clarence Kerrison. Oakley Park was rented out as a shooting estate and during the 1900s was the residence of the Hill-Wood family.
Rachel Anne Selina Bateman- Hanbury [1875-1971] was married to Sir Samuel Hill-Wood [1872-1954] 1st Baronet. Rachel and Samuel were the parents of Basil [1900-1954], Wilfred [b.1901], Dennis [1906-1982] and Charles Kerrison [1907-1988]. The Hill-Wood family lived at Oakley Park before its demolition and were involved with the Oakley Park Harriers and Oakley Park Cricket team.
Article provided by Stephen Govier.