Whittington Court
Encyclopedia
Whittington Court is an Elizabethan manor house, five miles east of Cheltenham
in Gloucestershire
, England
.
Adjacent to the house is the Whittington
parish church which dates from the 12th century and is now dedicated to St Bartholomew.
The origins of the site are unclear, but probably date back to Anglo-Saxon
s times, however in 1948 the remains of a Roman villa
were found in an adjacent field.
The current building was probably begun by Robert Bruce Cotton
, and his son John Cotton
in 1556 on an earlier moated site. It was completed in anticipation of Queen Elizabeth I's visit to the house in 1592 en route to Sudeley Castle
. Subsequently passed to Sir John Denham
, who married Anne Cotton and died 1669, and was Surveyor General to Charles II
. It then passed through the female line to the Earls of Derby and by the mid-late 18th century belonged to Thomas Tracey the Member of Parliament
for Gloucester
, who died in 1770. Misses Timbrell and Mrs. Rebecca Lighbourne inherited the property but left no heir, the house passing to Mr. Walter Lawrence Morris and subsequently to his descendants who adopted the name Lawrence. Alterations and additions were made in the 16th, late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the mid-18th century the estate was sold and became part of the Sandywell Park estate. The kitchen wing was added 1929. It is a grade I listed building.
The interior of the house is Elizabethan and contain two carved overmantels
from Sevenhampton Manor - one showing the arms of Lawrence Washington (1602–1655) (the stars and stripes).
A barn dated 1614 and stable block are both grade II listed.
Since 1972 a disused gardener's cottage at Whittington Court has been the home to The Whittington Press.
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Adjacent to the house is the Whittington
Whittington, Gloucestershire
Whittington, Gloucestershire is a village in the county of Gloucestershire in England, United Kingdom.- Location :Whittington, Gloucestershire is situated some 4 miles south east of Cheltenham, just off the busy A40 road.- History & Amenities :...
parish church which dates from the 12th century and is now dedicated to St Bartholomew.
The origins of the site are unclear, but probably date back to Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
s times, however in 1948 the remains of a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
were found in an adjacent field.
The current building was probably begun by Robert Bruce Cotton
Robert Bruce Cotton
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, 1st Baronet was an English antiquarian and Member of Parliament, founder of the important Cotton library....
, and his son John Cotton
John Cotton
John Cotton was an English clergyman and colonist. He was a principal figure among the New England Puritan ministers, who also included Thomas Hooker, Increase Mather , John Davenport, and Thomas Shepard and John Norton, who wrote his first biography...
in 1556 on an earlier moated site. It was completed in anticipation of Queen Elizabeth I's visit to the house in 1592 en route to Sudeley Castle
Sudeley Castle
Sudeley Castle is a castle located near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England. It dates from the 10th century, but the inhabited portion is chiefly Elizabethan. The castle has a notable garden, which is designed and maintained to a very high standard. The chapel, St. Mary's Sudeley, is the burial...
. Subsequently passed to Sir John Denham
John Denham (poet)
Sir John Denham was an English poet and courtier. He served as Surveyor of the King's Works and is buried in Westminster Abbey....
, who married Anne Cotton and died 1669, and was Surveyor General to Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. It then passed through the female line to the Earls of Derby and by the mid-late 18th century belonged to Thomas Tracey the 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 Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, who died in 1770. Misses Timbrell and Mrs. Rebecca Lighbourne inherited the property but left no heir, the house passing to Mr. Walter Lawrence Morris and subsequently to his descendants who adopted the name Lawrence. Alterations and additions were made in the 16th, late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the mid-18th century the estate was sold and became part of the Sandywell Park estate. The kitchen wing was added 1929. It is a grade I listed building.
The interior of the house is Elizabethan and contain two carved overmantels
Overdoor
An "overdoor" is a painting, bas-relief or decorative panel, generally in a horizontal format, that is set, typically within ornamental mouldings, over a door, or was originally intended for this purpose.The overdoor is usually architectural in form, but may take the form of a cartouche in Rococo...
from Sevenhampton Manor - one showing the arms of Lawrence Washington (1602–1655) (the stars and stripes).
A barn dated 1614 and stable block are both grade II listed.
Since 1972 a disused gardener's cottage at Whittington Court has been the home to The Whittington Press.