Northcourt Manor
Encyclopedia
Northcourt Manor is one of three manor house
s, along with Woolverton
and Westcourt
, that is located in Shorwell
, on the Isle of Wight
, England. It was begun by Sir John Leigh, Deputy Governor of the Island, in 1615, but was unfinished at his death. Northcourt is now a bed and breakfast
establishment.
:—" Isd. rex ten. Sorewelle. Tres taini tenuer. in paragio et iii. aulas habuer. Tc. p. una hida et dim. modo p. iii. virg. Tra. e. iii. car. In dno. e. una car. et dim. et ii. vill, et viii. bord; cu. i. car. ibi vi. servi. Silva ad clausura. Val. et valuit iiii. lib."—[The King holds Shorwell. Three of the king's servants (or thegns) held it jointly, and had each his mansion. It was then assessed at one hide and a half, now at three virgates.- The land is three carucates. In the demesne there are one carucate and a half, and two villeins, and eight borderers. With one carucate there are six slaves. There is a wood for enclosure. It is, and was worth four pounds.]—This manor, with the other lands of the king's, went to Baldwin de Redvers, when he obtained the Lordship of the Island; and remained in that family until Amicia, Countes of Devon, bestowed it (temp. Henry iii.) upon the Abbey of Laycock, in Wiltshire. Her daughter, Isabella de Fortibus, (4th Edw. I.) confirmed the grant; and it is stated in the Record of the Liberties claimed by, and allowed to her, that the Abbess held of her one fee in capite, whence •he possessed in demesne the manor of Shorwell. In the 13th Edward III. the Abbey was charged to supply three men-at-arms, and two bowmen towards the defence of the Island.—On the Dissolution of the Religious Houses, the manor reverted to the GrownIt was in the possession of Thomas Temes, Esq., in the 2nd year of Elizabeth; and towards the close of her reign, was purchased by Richard Bull, Esq.; and finally passed into the possession of the ancient family of Gordon, whose representative, Sir H. P. Gordon, now occupies the manor-house of North Court. A fee farm rent of £1 12s. 7d. is claimed by the Crown from this manor.
The mansion-house was built by Sir John Leigh, in the reign of James I. After his death (in 1629, at the advanced age of 83,) it was completed by his son Barnaby Leigh, Esq. Great repaparations and additions were made at a latter period by Barnaby Eveleigh Leigh, Esq.
style, and lies back from the road. An unusual feature is that it has only one wing. The entrance front has canted bays and mullioned windows. Sash windows were added in the 18th century, at which time a general internal remodeling on classic lines occurred. An extension was made to the north front in 1906 with the addition of a billiard room and offices.
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...
s, along with Woolverton
Woolverton Manor
Westcourt Manor is one of three manor houses, along with Northcourt Manor and Westcourt Manor, just outside of Shorwell, on the Isle of Wight, England....
and Westcourt
Westcourt Manor
Westcourt Manor is one of three manor houses, along with Woolverton and Northcourt, that is located in Shorwell, on the Isle of Wight, England. According to the Domesday Book, it was part of the possessions of Gozehne Fitz Azor, and had been held in the time of the Edward the Confessor by Ulnod in...
, that is located in Shorwell
Shorwell
Shorwell is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. It is located six kilometres from Newport in the southwest of the island. Shorwell was one of Queen Victoria's favourite places to visit on the Isle of Wight.-History:...
, on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, England. It was begun by Sir John Leigh, Deputy Governor of the Island, in 1615, but was unfinished at his death. Northcourt is now a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
establishment.
Early history
North Shorwell, or North Court, is thus referred to in 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...
:—" Isd. rex ten. Sorewelle. Tres taini tenuer. in paragio et iii. aulas habuer. Tc. p. una hida et dim. modo p. iii. virg. Tra. e. iii. car. In dno. e. una car. et dim. et ii. vill, et viii. bord; cu. i. car. ibi vi. servi. Silva ad clausura. Val. et valuit iiii. lib."—[The King holds Shorwell. Three of the king's servants (or thegns) held it jointly, and had each his mansion. It was then assessed at one hide and a half, now at three virgates.- The land is three carucates. In the demesne there are one carucate and a half, and two villeins, and eight borderers. With one carucate there are six slaves. There is a wood for enclosure. It is, and was worth four pounds.]—This manor, with the other lands of the king's, went to Baldwin de Redvers, when he obtained the Lordship of the Island; and remained in that family until Amicia, Countes of Devon, bestowed it (temp. Henry iii.) upon the Abbey of Laycock, in Wiltshire. Her daughter, Isabella de Fortibus, (4th Edw. I.) confirmed the grant; and it is stated in the Record of the Liberties claimed by, and allowed to her, that the Abbess held of her one fee in capite, whence •he possessed in demesne the manor of Shorwell. In the 13th Edward III. the Abbey was charged to supply three men-at-arms, and two bowmen towards the defence of the Island.—On the Dissolution of the Religious Houses, the manor reverted to the GrownIt was in the possession of Thomas Temes, Esq., in the 2nd year of Elizabeth; and towards the close of her reign, was purchased by Richard Bull, Esq.; and finally passed into the possession of the ancient family of Gordon, whose representative, Sir H. P. Gordon, now occupies the manor-house of North Court. A fee farm rent of £1 12s. 7d. is claimed by the Crown from this manor.
The mansion-house was built by Sir John Leigh, in the reign of James I. After his death (in 1629, at the advanced age of 83,) it was completed by his son Barnaby Leigh, Esq. Great repaparations and additions were made at a latter period by Barnaby Eveleigh Leigh, Esq.
Architecture and fittings
It is the largest ancient dwelling in the Isle of Wight. Modeled after larger houses on the mainland, it is of JacobeanJacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
style, and lies back from the road. An unusual feature is that it has only one wing. The entrance front has canted bays and mullioned windows. Sash windows were added in the 18th century, at which time a general internal remodeling on classic lines occurred. An extension was made to the north front in 1906 with the addition of a billiard room and offices.