Benacre Hall

In the Tudor reign of Queen Elizabeth, Benacre was a lesser possession, likely fully tenanted, of Gregory Fiennes, 10th Baron Dacre. Henry North, of Laxfield, descended from the noble North family and purchased it in the Stuart reign of Charles I. In 1708, Edward North, dying without issue, left it to Thomas Carthew, his wife's relation, who in 1721, rebuilt the house which it is confirmed was for own use. From his son the estate was bought in 1745 by Sir Thomas Gooch, one of the successive Gooch baronets and it has remained in that family since then. who was then aged over seventy and also had only daughters.

In 1827, Henry Davy wrote: , was the first person who proposed to Government the raising of Yeomanry Cavalry Corps in each District or Hundred, which soon after generally took place throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Sir Thomas made this proposal in December, 1792, first through Mr. Reeves, chairman to the Association then just formed at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, and afterwards through Sir John (now Lord) Rous, to the late Right Hon. Wm. Pitt, at that time Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord Rous took the command of the first Troop of Loyal Suffolk Yeomanry Cavalry, in which Sir Thomas was first Lieutenant, and he is painted in the uniform of the Corps when first raised. Sir…