Guy's Cliffe
Encyclopedia
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
between Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
and Old Milverton
Old Milverton
Old Milverton is a hamlet in Warwickshire situated in a bend of the River Avon just north of Leamington Spa. It lies at an altitude of 60-65 metres above sea level. The Anglican parish church of St. James includes a stained-glass window honouring Henry Jephson, who promoted the therapeutic benefits...
in Warwickshire, England and in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Leek Wootton
Leek Wootton
Leek Wootton is a village in Warwickshire, England, roughly one mile from Kenilworth and two miles from Warwick. It lies in the triangle created by Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington Spa.-Geography:...
and Guy's Cliffe. There is a country house there - Guy's Cliffe House - that has been in a ruined state since the late 20th century.
History
Guy's Cliffe has been occupied since SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times and derives its name from the legendary Guy of Warwick
Guy of Warwick
Guy of Warwick is a legendary English hero of Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to the 17th century. The story of Sir Guy is considered by scholars to be part of the Matter of England.-Plot:...
. Guy is supposed to have retired to a hermitage on this site, this legend led to the founding of a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
. The chantry was established in 1423 as the Chapel of St Mary Magdelene and the rock-carved stables and storehouses still remain. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
the site passed into private hands. The house itself dates from 1751 and was started by Samuel Greatheed, a West India merchant and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Coventry
Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England and its successors, the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom....
1747-1761.
Guy's Cliffe House was sold in 1947 with the intention of converting it into a hotel, but these plans came to nothing and the house fell into disrepair. In 1955 the house was purchased by Aldwyn Porter and the chapel leased to the Freemasons, establishing a connection with the Masons that remains today. The roof had fallen in by 1966. In 1992 during the filming of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (TV series)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the name given to the TV series of Sherlock Holmes adaptations produced by British television company Granada Television between 1984 and 1994, although only the first two series bore that title on screen. The series was broadcast on the ITV network in the UK,...
(The Last Vampyre) a fire scene got out of control and seriously damaged the building, leading to an insurance claim. English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
has given the building grade II listed status.
Points of interest
- The chapel, still used for Masonic ceremonies, contains a large statue depicting Guy of WarwickGuy of WarwickGuy of Warwick is a legendary English hero of Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to the 17th century. The story of Sir Guy is considered by scholars to be part of the Matter of England.-Plot:...
. - Piers GavestonPiers GavestonPiers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall was an English nobleman of Gascon origin, and the favourite of King Edward II of England. At a young age he made a good impression on King Edward I of England, and was assigned to the household of the King's son, Edward of Carnarvon...
, the favourite of Edward IIEdward II of EnglandEdward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, sought refuge and was (allegedly) apprehended here before his execution on nearby Blacklow Hill at Leek WoottonLeek WoottonLeek Wootton is a village in Warwickshire, England, roughly one mile from Kenilworth and two miles from Warwick. It lies in the triangle created by Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington Spa.-Geography:...
. - Saxon MillSaxon MillThe Saxon Mill is a former mill at Guy's Cliffe, Warwickshire, England, situated about one mile northeast of the town of Warwick. It is now a restaurant and bar. It is on the River Avon and it has a waterwheel, although a larger waterwheel has gone.-History:...
on the River Avon, a former water powered mill, now a pub and restaurant.
External links
- The GuysCliffeHouse.org.uk Photo Gallery Archive » A collection of historical and modern day photographs, images and depictions of Guys Cliffe House, Warwickshire, England...
- Guys Cliffe House entry from The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses
- The Civil Parish of Leek Wootton and Guy's Cliffe Hubsite