As a student of the Warwickshire Institute of Agriculture in 1959 I actually lived in this house in a dorm. on the first floor. It was a truly magnificent edifice. How many students today can brag that they bathed in a marble lined bathroom with silver locks on the door? Truly a devastating event.

David Hogan, Bideford, UK

im currently at the college and i had so many memories form last year and this year,it was a beautiful building with some amazing rooms. i cant believe it was ruined in just a few hours. it has put a downer on everyone at college and it is now blocked out of college life behind some ugly metal fencing, i hope it can be fixed soon.

linzi, nuneaton, england

I went to Moreton Morrell college in the late 90's when the library was in Moreton Hall. It was such a beautiful building and I have fond memories of studying in the library and walking through the hall for one of the balls. It is so sad that something like this could happen. I am glad no one was hurt and all of the horses and other animals were unaffected too.

Lizzie Hart, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

I always think it's a tragedy when this happens to these places. This is a beautiful historic house, and a great loss

James, Tarporley, Cheshire

I used to teach at the college on the early 90 and am so sad to hear of this. The Hall always was a hub of activity and housed the library. I hope that finds can be found to rebuild and restore this unique building and that the college can rebuild and restore the library and the student accomodation. My thoughts go out to all the staff and students who will have to cope with the aftermath. My best wishes to them all.
Terri Richmond ex horse course lecturer Essex

Terri Richmond, Hornchurch, Essex

What a tragedy. Moreton Hall was in my husbands family before the war, I have some beautiful photographs of the interior, it is reputed to have been won by his family during a card game.

sally crocker , carcassonne, france

I work at the Hall and was there on Friday morning helping to feed the emergency services and can honestly say from all of the staff that all of the firefighters did their very best, it is an incredibly awkwardly placed building and the water had to be pumped in from 3 miles away. There was absolutely nothing more anyone could have done to save the building, we all think that they did an amazing job to save as much as they did!

Jennie, Warwick, Warks

My father Martin Cross was one of the first members of staff at Moreton Hall when it opened in the late 40's as the Warwickshire Institute of Agriculture. It was where I and my brothers grew up - we had the run of the estate - a fantastic place. The Hall was a part of our daily lives. I have so many memories of this wonderful building - as I am sure have the countless students and staff who have passed through its doors.

I am sader than I could ever have imagined and can only hope the destruction isn't as bad as reported.

Felicity Bevan, Shrwsbury, UK

I was an agricultural student in 1969 - 70, what a tragedy. When I was there the rooms were lined with timber panelling. There was a fire drill with fire brigade attending, I remember very few of the fire extinguishers worked, even the fire brigades. Will it be restored? surely yes

Mark Mattocks, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

Was there something wrong with the way the fire service tackled this blaze so that that the building was completely devastated? Has anyone a technical explanation?

David Bachauer, Manchester , UK

I am currently an agriculture student at moreton morrell. The hall is the heart of the college and is going to be a very different place without it.

Daniel, Oxfordshire, England

My son attends this college. The Hall was magnificent, its such a shame. Thankfully the 16 -18 year old girls who lived in the Hall had left for the Easter Hols. Many of them will have had their personal belongings destroyed.

Our family hope the Hall can be rebuilt.

Jane, Leicester,

I have my wedding booked at Moreton hall on the 16th August this year, but it looks very unlikely it will happen there now. I am very upset as me and my husband to be both went to the college, and this is the place we really wanted to get married. It is devastating to see the pictures of the burnt building, as it is such a beautiful place with so much history. Its just a relief that noone was injured.

Carly Allum, Southam, UK

as an ex student I can say that this is a most tragic event and one that will sadden all associated with the collage past and present, I have many happy memories of the Hall and my time there.

Gareth Jones, Moscow, Russia

I organised a 40th Anniversary do for a local Badminton Club there late last year, it is a truly wonderful building with wood panelling, with the gutting of Radford Semele church just a week before, warwickshire has suffered the loss of two beautiful buildings, I hope they are both rebuilt...

Mark

Mark Curtlin, Southam, Warwickshire

i have been on a course once and we walked passed the hall and i thought it was one of the nicest places ive ever seen!!!

ben dronfield, rugby, england

What a devasting loss for the local history.This should be investigated to the very end.What kind of person robs their country of it's historic treasures.It is like spray painting a Mona Lisa,when this happens everyone loses a piece of their heritage.

happymike44, baton rouge, ebr , u.s.a.la.

This is so sad :'-(

Marie , Knaresborough, England