Langdon, Devon
Encyclopedia
Langdon Court is a former English Manor House
, in Wembury
, South Devon
, United Kingdom
. It consists of a single courtyard mansion
from 1693 and a walled formal garden. It is currently used as the Langdon Court Hotel.
as having been granted to the Norman
Baron Judhael, Lord of Totnes for his support of King William I of England
after the Battle of Hastings
. Jodhel in turn granted Langdon to one of his knight
s named Walden.
Langdon was transferred from Knight Walden to the Pipard family and then to the great Courtenay
family of Devon. This family held the estate for nearly 200 years, with the last Courtenay being Marquis of Exeter who was beheaded for treason
by Henry VIII
in 1538. This was probably for his opposition to Henry’s break with Rome and the creation of the Church of England
during the uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace
.
The house later passed to Henry's widow Catherine Parr
. In 1564 Queen Elizabeth I
granted Langdon Court to Vincent Calmady for services to the Royal Navy
. This was the start of a of great building and landscaping period, much of which is seen at Langdon today. The Calmady family also created an early English Renaissance
garden which can still be admired. Langdon Court remained in the Calmady family until 1875 when the last daughters in the Calmady line died.
Richard Cory purchased Langdon Court in 1876. He was the son of William Cory who founded the coal shipping and bunkering firm in London known as William Cory & Son. It was during his tenure that extensive repairs and alterations were made to the house.
On several occasions, Richard Cory played host to his friend the Prince of Wales
, later to become Edward VII. Edward was often accompanied by his friend, the society beauty and actress Lillie Langtry
.
On Richard Cory’s death in 1904 the estate was broken up and a Mrs. Kenyon-Slaney bought the house and 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land. She lived here until the beginning of the Second World War. After the war Langdon Court was purchased by the City Council
of Plymouth
and used as a children’s convalescent home.
It was in 1960, when the council sold the building, that the necessary work was carried out to convert the building into the Langdon Court Hotel as it remains today.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, in Wembury
Wembury
Wembury is a village on the south coast of Devon, very close to Plymouth Sound. Wembury is also the name of the peninsula in which the village is situated. The village lies in the administrative district of the South Hams within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The South West...
, South Devon
South Devon
South Devon is the southern part of the county of Devon, England.South Devon may also refer to*South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty*South Devon *South Devon College*South Devon cattle, a breed of cattle...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It consists of a single courtyard mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
from 1693 and a walled formal garden. It is currently used as the Langdon Court Hotel.
History
It was noted in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as having been granted to the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Baron Judhael, Lord of Totnes for his support of King William I of England
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
after the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
. Jodhel in turn granted Langdon to one of his knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s named Walden.
Langdon was transferred from Knight Walden to the Pipard family and then to the great Courtenay
House of Courtenay
The House of Courtenay was an important dynasty in medieval France originating from the castle of Courtenay in the Gâtinais , going back to the 10th century. The dynasty descended from Athon, the first lord of Courtenay, apparently himself a descendant of the Counts of Sens and from Pharamond,...
family of Devon. This family held the estate for nearly 200 years, with the last Courtenay being Marquis of Exeter who was beheaded for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
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...
in 1538. This was probably for his opposition to Henry’s break with Rome and the creation of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
during the uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising in York, Yorkshire during 1536, in protest against Henry VIII's break with the Roman Catholic Church and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. It was done in action against Thomas Cromwell...
.
The house later passed to Henry's widow Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
. In 1564 Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
granted Langdon Court to Vincent Calmady for services to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. This was the start of a of great building and landscaping period, much of which is seen at Langdon today. The Calmady family also created an early English Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
garden which can still be admired. Langdon Court remained in the Calmady family until 1875 when the last daughters in the Calmady line died.
Richard Cory purchased Langdon Court in 1876. He was the son of William Cory who founded the coal shipping and bunkering firm in London known as William Cory & Son. It was during his tenure that extensive repairs and alterations were made to the house.
On several occasions, Richard Cory played host to his friend the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, later to become Edward VII. Edward was often accompanied by his friend, the society beauty and actress Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry , usually spelled Lily Langtry when she was in the U.S., born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a British actress born on the island of Jersey...
.
On Richard Cory’s death in 1904 the estate was broken up and a Mrs. Kenyon-Slaney bought the house and 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land. She lived here until the beginning of the Second World War. After the war Langdon Court was purchased by the City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and used as a children’s convalescent home.
It was in 1960, when the council sold the building, that the necessary work was carried out to convert the building into the Langdon Court Hotel as it remains today.