Portledge Manor
Encyclopedia
Portledge Manor is an English manor house
in Devon
, England, southwest of Bideford
. It and the land surrounding it belonged to the Coffin family
, a noble family of Norman origin, for almost 1000 years.
, looking out over the Bristol Channel
. The parish of Alwington
and the surrounding area was given to Sir Richard Coffin by William the Conqueror, a family friend, as part of a reward for loyalty and service during the Norman Conquest.
Most of the current house dates from the 17th century, but parts of it have stood since the reign of King Henry III
, circa 1234. The 13th century arch of the chapel still stands and the Brew House remains from when hops
were grown on the estate. The Great Hall's minstrel gallery was moved in the late 19th century to Alwington Church, a 15th century church containing many monuments to the Coffin family. The dining-room retains a ceiling plastered with the family's coat of arms
. The courtyard was roofed in and made into a new hall in the middle of the 18th century. There are many pieces of fine furniture, ancestral heirlooms, carved stone coats of arms, Spanish armour, and guns from the Spanish Armada
. There is also a bell tower
and a Spanish courtyard. The estate's archive, a historical record going back over 700 years, was sold to the Devon Council for almost £50,000. The estate was originally much larger than the current 2500 acres, but portions were gradually sold off during the last few centuries. The family owned most of the surrounding villages, but the last of these were sold at auction in 1981. The estate itself was sold in 1998, after nine centuries in the Coffin family's hands. This was due to a dispute with Inland Revenue. It is now the home of Michael Cannon, pub entrepreneur and owner of Fuddrucker's restaurant chain.
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 Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England, southwest of Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
. It and the land surrounding it belonged to the Coffin family
Coffin (surname)
Coffin is an Anglo-Norman surname.The House of Coffin is an ancient English family which originated in Normandy, France. Nearly all trace their ancestry to Sir Richard Coffin, a nobleman from Falaise who was a general in William the Conqueror's army in 1066. The Coffins have held a number of...
, a noble family of Norman origin, for almost 1000 years.
History
The house sits on the edge of Bideford BayBideford Bay
Bideford Bay, also known as Barnstaple Bay and often shown on maps as Barnstaple or Bideford Bay, is a large area of water on the northwest coast of Devon in south west England, at the southwestern end of the Bristol Channel where it joins the Celtic Sea...
, looking out over the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. The parish of Alwington
Alwington
Alwington is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England. The parish is on the coast and includes the villages of Alwington, Fairy Cross, Ford and Knotty Corner. The parish has a total population of 381 ....
and the surrounding area was given to Sir Richard Coffin by William the Conqueror, a family friend, as part of a reward for loyalty and service during the Norman Conquest.
Most of the current house dates from the 17th century, but parts of it have stood since the reign of King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, circa 1234. The 13th century arch of the chapel still stands and the Brew House remains from when hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
were grown on the estate. The Great Hall's minstrel gallery was moved in the late 19th century to Alwington Church, a 15th century church containing many monuments to the Coffin family. The dining-room retains a ceiling plastered with the family's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. The courtyard was roofed in and made into a new hall in the middle of the 18th century. There are many pieces of fine furniture, ancestral heirlooms, carved stone coats of arms, Spanish armour, and guns from the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
. There is also a bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and a Spanish courtyard. The estate's archive, a historical record going back over 700 years, was sold to the Devon Council for almost £50,000. The estate was originally much larger than the current 2500 acres, but portions were gradually sold off during the last few centuries. The family owned most of the surrounding villages, but the last of these were sold at auction in 1981. The estate itself was sold in 1998, after nine centuries in the Coffin family's hands. This was due to a dispute with Inland Revenue. It is now the home of Michael Cannon, pub entrepreneur and owner of Fuddrucker's restaurant chain.