Recently, John Halle’s house in Salisbury, a 15th century building and home to the Odeon Cinema, went up for auction.
John Halle was a local merchant and a rather fractious fellow–he upset Edward IV and ended up cooling his heels in the Tower for a while, after having a major dispute with Richard Beauchamp, Bishop of Salisbury and another local merchant, William Swayne. Edward IV was not best pleased when John was hauled before him, saying he was ‘shewing himself of a right cedicious, hasty, willful and full unwitty disposicon’. After his death, his son, William, showed himself as a true chip off the old block, and hence got himself involved in the rebellion of a well-known blockhead–Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, which he survived, head still on his shoulders, and became a local MP.
The auction caused some consternation in town as the house has been in use as a theatre then cinema for 90 years and the building is one of the oldest remaining in Salisbury and an excellent example of a hall house. However, it appears that it will continue as a cinema even if the building has new owners, for the lease goes on till the 2080’s.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/historic-home-salisbury-odeon-sale-090003207.html
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