Q&A with an LA man who saves his family’s castle from ruin
- American actor, screenwriter and producer Hopwood DePree discovered his family’s ancestral home while researching online.
- When DePree moved near Manchester, England, to save Hopwood Hall, the 600-year-old estate was virtually ruined.
- Downton Shabby: One American’s Ultimate DIY Adventure Restoring His Family’s English Castle is released with William Morrow (HarperCollins) on May 31.
LONDON — Many people researching information about their ancestors on genealogy websites come across poignant geographic details, long-lost relatives, or historical insights — good, bad, and ugly.
Michigan-born actor, screenwriter and producer Hopwood DePree has found an abandoned but once resplendent 50,000 square foot estate in the English countryside – his family’s ancestral home where his 14th great-grandfather was born.