Admiral Sir Charles Napier and Merchistoun Hall

"Sir Charles Napier KCB, a maverick but brilliant admiral, takes his rightful place amongst the Naval Greats of the 19th Century. Heroic achievements during his career included restoring the rightful monarch to the Portuguese throne as well as helping to restore peace in the turbulent Middle East. His career sadly ended on a sour note but history since has justified his decision in the Baltic. Like a host of other seafaring greats he chose the beautiful area of East Hampshire as his home, buying Qualletts Grove, the historical mansion in Horndean in 1836 and renaming it Merchistoun Hall in honour of his ancestral birthplace in Scotland. Now known as Horndean Community Centre, Merchistoun Hall's history goes back 300 years and includes a host of characters who called it their home before and after the residency of Admiral Sir Charles Napier."--Provided by the publisher.