Cotheridge Court
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Cotheridge Court is an ancient manor house situated in the south-western part of Cotheridge, in the county of Worcestershire, England, and birth place of Herbert Bowyer Berkeley. The house was owned and lived in by the Berkeley family for nearly 350 years, but the manor is over one thousand years old. The family descends from the Berkeleys of Gloucestershire, and Eadnoth. The house is now a private residence of sub-divided flats.
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[edit] History
[edit] Pre-Domesday Book
In 963 Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, granted land called 'Coddanhrycce' to thegn Aelfric for three successive generations, being limited to male heirs.
[edit] Domesday Book
In the Domesday Book a timber-framed court is mentioned. The existing house dates back to the 16th century, and perhaps even further back. It is built upon the site of the original dwelling mentioned in the Domesday Book.
[edit] 17th century
Prior to 1615, the manor was held by a succession of various owners. In 1615 it was sold to William Berkeley of Cowleigh, son of Rowland Berkeley of Worcester and Spetchley, a wealthy clothier who originated from Hereford. The house then was a large, two-storey timber-framed dwelling with a third floor of gabled attics having carved bageboards. The house contained a small, panelled room known as the 'sots hole' where drunks were held in order to sleep off their drunkenness. This room probably dates back to pre 15th century and before, when the house was a Court House. William, Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1617 was succeeded by his son, Sir Rowland Berkeley.
[edit] Sir Rowland Berkeley
At the surrender of Worcester on 23 July, 1646 he was amongst the many Cavaliers who obtained written passes that guaranteed their safe travel to their homes, after taking an oath to not bear arms against Parliament.
On 11 August 1646, Sir Rowland was compounded for delinquency. The charge being that 'his house being within three miles of Worcester, he continued to live there while it was held for the King, (Charles I) and was placed on a Commission for the safe-guarding of the County, and for raising contributions for the King's forces'. For this, on 25 August 1646, he paid a fine of £2,030, which was an enormous sum at that time.
On 3 September 1651, he was fetched to Worcester, from Cotheridge, by the King's army, and this being against his will having vowed 'not to meddle'. He was informed that a Commission for himself as well as for other gentlemen of the county had been issued. In his own written words after the battle he wrote to his father-in-law, Sir Thomas Cave, that he was fetched to 'King Charles' (Charles II) from Cotheridge by a major accompanied by a party of horse soldiers. Whilst in Worcester waiting for an audience with the King, he found out that the Commission had been issued by Major-General Massey, governor of Worcester. Sir Rowland, in not approving of the Commission, took leave, and left Worcester as fast as his horse could carry him, the battle raging away all about Worcester. Riding through the Cromwellians, he was captured by the Scots but mangaged to escape from them, arriving home at Cotheridge Court at about nine that evening. Early the next morning he was escorted by Parliamentarian soldiers for an interview with their general. He was accused of fighting at the battle at Worcester the previous night and on the side of King Charles II, not the Parliamentarians. By the time they reached St. John's they found they had no evidence for the warrant and he was released.
There is second story about that incident, told by Nash[1] that states he had two piebald horses that were identical. After fighting in the battle on the side of the King, he rode home safely and tethered his war horse in a tennant's stable at Cotheridge. When Oliver Cromwell's soldier's arrived at Cotheridge Court they found the second horse, rested, and with no signs of being in a battle. With no evidence against him they left without arresting Sir Rowland.
In 1660 Sir Rowland was chosen by King Charles II to be invested with the order of The Royal Oak. This order was never instituted.
Sir Rowland's only son, Thomas, died unmarried, on 25 October 1669, in Greece. He was on a diplomatic mission to Turkey, travelling with His Exellency Sir Daniel Harvey from King Charles II to Sultan Mahomethan, Emperor of the Turks. The two men were travelling from Constantinople towards Thessalonica when Thomas fell ill. He was 30 years old and his remains were buried amonst Christians. Having no other sons, Cotheridge Court passed to Sir Rowland's daughter Elizabeth. Her husband, Henry Green adopted the surname Berkeley.
[edit] 18th century
In 1770 the entrance front to the house, as well as the south front were cased with brick and the old windows were replaced with large, sash windows. The old, gabled attics were concealed behind a wall of brick, and sham, glazed windows were added to the new, brick front giving the appearance of a third floor without attics. The north wing of the house, as well as part of the back were not modernized, and remained as timber and plaster.
In 1764 another Rowland Berkeley became Sheriff of Worcestershire and in 1774 became Member of Parliament for Droitwich. He died in 1805.
[edit] Ha-ha
Sometime during the mid to late 18th century a ha-ha was installed where the gardens met with the pastureland. This was to provide the house with a clean view of the grazing cattle and the breath-taking, prominent Malvern Hills in the far distance.
[edit] 19th century
Rowland Berkeley, was succeeded by his brother the Rev. Henry Rowland Berkeley, D.C.L., Fellow of New College, Oxford, who also died childless in 1832. Eventually it passed to William Berkeley Esquire who died in 1869 and the manor passed to his eldest son the Rev. William Comyns Berkeley. His son Rowland, eldest brother to Herbert Bowyer Berkeley inherited the manor.
At about the mid-part of the century a delicate, ornamental stone ballustrade was added to the top of the brick facing, above the sham, glazed windows.
[edit] Noake's History
It is mentioned in Noake's History of Worcestershire[2] that from the road to Bromyard an avenue of limes some three-quarters of a mile in length, and in a straight line runs from the road to Cotheridge Court.
[edit] References
[3] King Charles II
[4] Cotheridge Court
