Cogges Manor Farm facts for kids
Cogges Manor Farm – the House
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| Established | 1974 |
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| Location | Cogges |
| Type | heritage centre |
Cogges Manor Farm is a historic farm in Cogges, near Witney in Oxfordshire, England. It used to be a working farm. Today, it is a special place called a heritage centre. A charity runs it, and it is open for everyone to visit.
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What is Cogges Manor Farm?
Cogges Manor Farm helps visitors understand farm life. You can learn how food is grown and raised. The farm offers workshops for students and adults. These workshops teach about food, local history, gardening, and old-fashioned crafts.
The farm's grounds and old medieval barns are used for many events. These include traditional festivals, plays, and private parties. It is also a fun place for families. You can meet and feed the farm animals. Visitors can enjoy the farmyard, the fruit orchard, and a traditional walled vegetable garden. You can also explore the woods where an old moat once stood, near the River Windrush.
Even though it is close to the busy town of Witney, the farm feels very peaceful. It is surrounded by open fields and pastures. The buildings at Cogges look like those found in the Cotswolds. The farm is also part of the old Royal Hunting Forest of Wychwood.
History of the Farm
The main house at Cogges Manor Farm is very old. It was built in the middle of the 13th century. This means it is over 750 years old! It was made from Cotswold stone. The house originally had four parts built around a central courtyard. Today, you can still see the 13th-century kitchen and part of the main hall. The dairy building also has parts of another old section. The other two parts of the house are gone, but you can still find traces of their foundations. In the 13th century, the Manor also had a large fishpond.
The manor house was likely built after Walter de Gray, who was the Archbishop of York, bought part of Cogges in 1241. By 1242, people called the house the Archbishop's Court. In 1245, the Archbishop gave Cogges Manor to his nephew, Sir Robert de Grey. The de Grey family owned the house until 1485. Sometimes, the house was used as a "dower house." This means it was a home for the widows of the Barons Grey of Rotherfield.
Over the years, the manor had many different owners. In the 16th century, one owner changed the medieval hall. They added a first floor and a new, taller roof. The Blake family bought the manor in 1667. They added the second wing that you see today. In 1726, Daniel Blake sold Cogges Manor Farm to Simon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt. The Harcourt family rented out the farm until 1919. Then, the Mawle family, who were renting it, bought the farm.
In 1974, Oxfordshire County Council bought Cogges Manor Farm. They turned the house and farm into a museum.
The Museum Years
When it first opened as a museum, Cogges Manor Farm was a "living museum." This means it showed what rural life was like in Oxfordshire during the Victorian era. The local council helped pay for the museum. However, on August 31, 2009, the council stopped funding it, and the museum closed. News reports at the time said that a new charity planned to reopen the museum in April 2010.
Cogges Today: Since 2011
In July 2011, Cogges Manor Farm opened its doors again. Now, a charitable trust runs it. They rent the land and buildings from Oxfordshire County Council for a very small fee, like a basket of apples. It is no longer a museum in the traditional way. Instead, it is a place where families can relax, learn, and even help out as volunteers. The goal is to help visitors understand more about food and how it is produced, both in the past and today.
The farm has changed from a museum to a place for education and fun. Small farm animals like chickens, ducks, pigs, and goats are raised using old methods. Vegetables are grown for food in a beautiful walled garden. Volunteers have done most of the work to make these changes. They work with a small team of managers.
The idea is that by volunteering, taking courses, and seeing the work firsthand, visitors and volunteers can learn about farming. They can understand the challenges and rewards of running a small farm.
Displays and activities, along with guided tours, explain how Cogges Manor Farm has grown. They show how people lived and worked there since Saxon times. You can see how the farm has changed over hundreds of years. The old medieval moated area was once overgrown. Now, volunteers have carefully cleared it. It is a fun place for families to play and explore trails. These trails connect to the farm's history.
The people running Cogges want it to become a top visitor attraction. They want it to pay for itself. They host events like food markets and a beer festival. These events, along with admission fees, help the farm earn money.
Local businesses have also helped improve the farm. The open yards and the inside of the two barns have been made better. They still keep their old-fashioned look. The barns are now popular for wedding receptions. These special events help the charity become financially stable.
David Cameron, who was the UK Prime Minister and local MP, visited the farm in January 2011. He called the charity's plans "enterprising." He visited again in September 2013 and praised their success. He returned in July 2015 for celebrations of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.
Cogges Manor Farm is also famous for another reason. It is used as the fictional Yew Tree Farm in the popular TV show Downton Abbey.
Images for kids
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Cogges Manor Farm – the House
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The walled garden is a key attraction. It has been restored, and subsequently maintained, entirely by voluntary effort.
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Cogges Manor Farm – display of vegetables grown by volunteers
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Cogges Manor Farm – the way to the woodland play space
