Ockwells
Encyclopedia
Ockwells Manor is a timber-framed 15th century manor house
in the civil parish
of Cox Green
, adjoining Maidenhead
, in the English
county of Berkshire
. It was previously in the parish of Bray
.
Ockwells is an early example of a manor built without fortifications, which Sir Nikolaus Pevsner
called "the most refined and the most sophisticated timber-framed mansion in England". It preserves a superb set of contemporary heraldic stained glass
in the hall. Many of its bargeboard
s and other exterior timbers are run with rich mouldings and carved. Herringbone brickwork provides the infill.
The manor was originally given, in 1283, to Richard le Norreys, the chief cook to Queen Eleanor. It passed down through the Norreys family, ending up in the possession of Sir John Norreys, Keeper of the Wardrobe
to Henry VI
, who starting re-building the manor in 1446.
In the windows of the great hall, Sir John inserted beautiful stained glass, proudly showcasing his Lancastrian
connections by displaying the arms
of his friends at Court:
The Norreys
family lived there until 1517. At that time, Sir John's great-grandson, also Sir John, had to surrender the estate in return for a pardon after having murdered a certain John Enhold of Nettlebed
. Ockwells was then owned by Sir John's uncle, Sir Thomas Fettiplace. It passed through the Fettiplace
family, before being owned by the Day family.
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 the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Cox Green
Cox Green, Berkshire
Cox Green is a civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. The parish is bounded by the A4 road to the north, the A404 motorway to the northeast, the M4 motorway to the southeast and a rural boundary with White Waltham parish to the west...
, adjoining Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
, in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. It was previously in the parish of Bray
Bray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...
.
Ockwells is an early example of a manor built without fortifications, which Sir Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
called "the most refined and the most sophisticated timber-framed mansion in England". It preserves a superb set of contemporary heraldic stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
in the hall. Many of its bargeboard
Bargeboard
Bargeboard is a board fastened to the projecting gables of a roof to give them strength and to mask, hide and protect the otherwise exposed end of the horizontal timbers or purlins of the roof to which they were attached...
s and other exterior timbers are run with rich mouldings and carved. Herringbone brickwork provides the infill.
The manor was originally given, in 1283, to Richard le Norreys, the chief cook to Queen Eleanor. It passed down through the Norreys family, ending up in the possession of Sir John Norreys, Keeper of the Wardrobe
Wardrobe (government)
The wardrobe, along with the chamber, made up the personal part of medieval English government known as the king's household. Its chief officer went under the title of Master or Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. As a result, the wardrobe often appropriated large funds from the exchequer, the main...
to Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, who starting re-building the manor in 1446.
In the windows of the great hall, Sir John inserted beautiful stained glass, proudly showcasing his Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
connections by displaying the 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...
of his friends at Court:
- the KingHenry VI of EnglandHenry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
- the QueenMargaret of AnjouMargaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
- the Duke of WarwickHenry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of WarwickHenry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick was an English nobleman.He was the son of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and Isabel le Despenser...
- Duke of Somerset
- Duke of SuffolkJohn de la Pole, 2nd Duke of SuffolkJohn de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, KG , known as "the Trimming Duke". He was the son of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Alice Chaucer, daughter of Thomas Chaucer.-Life:...
- Bishop of SalisburyRichard BeauchampRichard Beauchamp was a medieval Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of Salisbury.He was the son of Walter Beauchamp, Speaker of the House of Commons in 1416 and studied at Oxford University....
- James Butler, 1st Earl of Wiltshire
- Sir John Wenlock, Baron WenlockBaron WenlockBaron Wenlock is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in 1461 when the soldier Sir John Wenlock was summoned to Parliament as Lord Wenlock...
- Baron Mortimer of Chirk
- Sir William Laken
- Sir Richard Nanfan
- Sir John Langford
- John Purye
- Richard Bulstrode
- Abingdon AbbeyAbingdon AbbeyAbingdon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery also known as St Mary's Abbey located in Abingdon, historically in the county of Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
The Norreys
Norreys
Norreys may refer to various members of, or estates belonging to, a landed family chiefly seated in the English counties of Berkshire and Lancashire and the Irish county of Cork....
family lived there until 1517. At that time, Sir John's great-grandson, also Sir John, had to surrender the estate in return for a pardon after having murdered a certain John Enhold of Nettlebed
Nettlebed
Nettlebed is a village in England in the Chiltern Hills about northwest of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire and southeast of Wallingford.-History:Archaeological finds show that the area around Nettlebed has been inhabited since Palaeolithic times....
. Ockwells was then owned by Sir John's uncle, Sir Thomas Fettiplace. It passed through the Fettiplace
Fettiplace
Fettiplace is an English family name of Norman descent, with at least 800 years of history. They were landed gentry, chiefly in the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire.-Origin:...
family, before being owned by the Day family.