Minster Lovell Hall
Encyclopedia
Minster Lovell Hall is a ruin in Minster Lovell
, an English village in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
. The ruins are situated by the River Windrush
.
The Hall was a fairly typical if impressive manor house. The buildings surround three sides of a square; the fourth side towards the River Windrush was closed off by a wall. The great tower at the south-west corner seems to be a later addition to the house, as part of the adjoining west wing had to be rebuilt.
Minster Lovell Hall remained the main residence of the Lovell family. Richard III
visited it as a guest of Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell
grandson of William Lovell. Francis Lovell's estates were declared forfeit after the Battle of Bosworth and Minster Lovell was granted to Jasper Tudor, uncle of Henry VII
.
The property changed hands several times over the next two centuries. Among the owners were Henry VIII
's gentlemen of the stool, William Compton
and Henry Norris.
The property was bought in 1603 by Sir Edward Coke. The manor remained in the Coke family for several generations, and Thomas Coke
, created Baron Lovel in 1728, abandoned Minster Lovell Hall in 1747. Large parts of the buildings were dismantled. By the early eighteenth century the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall were thought to have been the buildings of an alien priory.
, probably also built in the fifteenth century, is also part of the site.
Minster Lovell Hall is now in the care of English Heritage
.
Minster Lovell
Minster Lovell is a village and civil parish on the River Windrush about west of Witney in Oxfordshire.Minster Lovell village has three parts: Old Minster, Little Minster and New Minster. Old Minster includes St. Kenelm's Parish Church, Minster Lovell Hall and the Old Swan Inn and Minster Mill Hotel...
, an English village in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. The ruins are situated by the River Windrush
River Windrush
The River Windrush is a river in the English Cotswolds, forming part of the River Thames catchment.The Windrush starts in the Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire northeast of Taddington, which is north of Guiting Power, Temple Guiting, Ford and Cutsdean...
.
History
Minster Lovell Hall was built by William Lovell around 1440. As Minster Lovell was one of the earliest estates held by the Lovell family and one of their main residences it was at least the second building occupying this site.The Hall was a fairly typical if impressive manor house. The buildings surround three sides of a square; the fourth side towards the River Windrush was closed off by a wall. The great tower at the south-west corner seems to be a later addition to the house, as part of the adjoining west wing had to be rebuilt.
Minster Lovell Hall remained the main residence of the Lovell family. Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
visited it as a guest of Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell
Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell
Francis Lovell, 9th Baron Lovell, 6th Baron Holand, later 1st Viscount Lovell was an English nobleman. He probably knew the later King Richard III of England from a young age, and was to become his lifelong friend and staunch ally....
grandson of William Lovell. Francis Lovell's estates were declared forfeit after the Battle of Bosworth and Minster Lovell was granted to Jasper Tudor, uncle of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
.
The property changed hands several times over the next two centuries. Among the owners were 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...
's gentlemen of the stool, William Compton
William Compton (courtier)
Sir William Compton was one of the most prominent courtiers during the reign of Henry VIII of England. Born around 1482, Compton was about nine years older than his king, but the two became close friends. Compton was the eldest son of Edmund Compton of Warwickshire and became an attendant on young...
and Henry Norris.
The property was bought in 1603 by Sir Edward Coke. The manor remained in the Coke family for several generations, and Thomas Coke
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation)
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, KB was a wealthy English land-owner and patron of the arts. He is particularly noted for commissioning the design and construction of Holkham Hall in north Norfolk. Between 1722 and 1728, he was Member of Parliament for Norfolk.He was the son of Edward Coke ...
, created Baron Lovel in 1728, abandoned Minster Lovell Hall in 1747. Large parts of the buildings were dismantled. By the early eighteenth century the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall were thought to have been the buildings of an alien priory.
Legend
According to one report a skeleton was discovered in the basement of Minster Lovell Hall in 1708 and was thought to be that of Francis Lovell who had hidden there after the Battle of Stoke and had died of starvation. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely this is the case. Francis Lovell spent little time in Minster Lovell and therefore would have no faithful servant there who could hide and feed him for years.Today
The ruins of Minster Lovell Hall are quite extensive. The most prominent feature are the Hall with its ornamented entrance porch and the south west tower. A dovecoteDovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
, probably also built in the fifteenth century, is also part of the site.
Minster Lovell Hall is now in the care of 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...
.