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| Parnham House in Beaminster ravaged by fire | Parnham House in Beaminster ravaged by fire |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A 16th Century stately home has been severely damaged by an overnight fire. | A 16th Century stately home has been severely damaged by an overnight fire. |
| Fire crews were sent to Grade II listed Parnham House in Beaminster, Dorset, following reports of the blaze. | Fire crews were sent to Grade II listed Parnham House in Beaminster, Dorset, following reports of the blaze. |
| Photographs shared on social media showed the Elizabethan building well alight. | Photographs shared on social media showed the Elizabethan building well alight. |
| A spokesman for Dorset Police said the cause was unknown, but it was being treated as suspicious. He added it was believed no injuries had been sustained. | |
| The spokesman said emergency services were alerted to an "extensive fire" at 04:10 BST. | |
| Parnham House was described as "architecturally brilliant" in a 2009 Dorset Life article. | |
| It was home to the Strode family, prominent aristocrats in the 16th Century, for 200 years. | It was home to the Strode family, prominent aristocrats in the 16th Century, for 200 years. |
| It was later used as a country club and nursing home. In 2001 it was refurbished by a private owner. | It was later used as a country club and nursing home. In 2001 it was refurbished by a private owner. |
| Much of the current design was created in 1810 by John Nash, an architect who worked on the 19th Century enlargement of Buckingham Palace. | |
| Evidence of his work includes distinctive winding staircases and stone mullioned windows. | |
| The house is set away from the road and sits in grounds that include stone statues and topiary that has remained unchanged for centuries. |