Coombe Abbey facts for kids
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Coombe Abbey is a special hotel that used to be a very old and important building. It's known as a Grade I listed building, which means it's protected because of its history. This grand house is in the countryside of Warwickshire, England, between Coventry and Brinklow. The land around the house is now a big park called Coombe Country Park, which is open to everyone and looked after by Coventry City Council.
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Coombe Abbey's Early Days as a Monastery
The Abbey of Cumbe
Long ago, in the 1100s, this place was called the Abbey of Cumbe. It was the biggest and most important monastery in Warwickshire. A man named Richard de Camville gave the land to a group of monks called Cistercian monks.
The monks accepted the gift. They sent some monks ahead to build temporary wooden homes. Then, they started building a monastery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first leader of this new monastery was a monk named Martin. The Abbey officially opened in 1150.
Gifts and Royal Visits
Over the next 400 years, the monks received many gifts of land. They owned land in many different counties. In 1470, King Edward IV visited the Abbey. He was traveling from Leicester to Coventry, chasing his enemy, the Earl of Warwick, during a time of wars called the Wars of the Roses. King Edward IV rested at Coombe Abbey for a while.
The monastery was famous for being very kind to poor people. Every Maundy Thursday, they would give money, bread, beer, and fish to the poor at the abbey gate.
The End of the Monastery
In 1539, the monks lost the Abbey. This happened because of something called the dissolution of monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries across England.
Since then, Coombe Abbey has been changed and added to many times. But some parts of the old monastery, like the cloisters (covered walkways), are still there today.
Becoming a Private Home
After the Abbey was taken by the King in 1539, it changed owners many times over 40 years. In 1581, a man named Sir John Harington of Exton bought it. He turned the old abbey into one of the biggest houses in the area.
Princess Elizabeth's Home
Sir John Harington had Scottish family roots, connected to Robert Bruce. When James VI of Scotland became King of England, Harington used his family history to gain the King's favor.
In 1603, King James sent his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, to live at Coombe Abbey. The King ordered that Lord Harington and his wife would be in charge of Elizabeth's care and education. Elizabeth lived at the Abbey for five years. Her teacher was Master John Tovey, a headmaster from Coventry. Elizabeth's best friend was Ann Dudley, who was Lord Harington's niece. They stayed friends for a long time.
The Gunpowder Plot
In 1604, a famous plan called the Gunpowder Plot was made. The plotters wanted to kill King James and his two sons. This would leave Princess Elizabeth as Queen. They planned to kidnap Elizabeth and have a Catholic leader rule the country while she was young. They also wanted her to marry a Catholic and be raised in the Catholic faith.
To make sure Elizabeth was not guarded at Coombe Abbey, the plotters arranged a hunting trip. They invited Harington to this trip on November 6, 1605, at Dunchurch, which was close to Coombe.
However, Lord Harington found out about the plot that morning. He quickly sent Elizabeth to Sir Thomas Holcroft in the walled city of Coventry. The Mayor and nine other citizens guarded her, using bows, pikes, and other weapons from the city's armory. So, when the plotters arrived at Coombe, Elizabeth was gone. They realized their plan was discovered and ran away. Most of them were killed while trying to escape, but some were caught and executed in London. In 1613, Elizabeth married Frederick, who later became King of Bohemia, and she became a Queen.
The Craven Family Takes Over
John Harington died in 1613. After a few more owners, the Abbey was bought in 1622 by Lady Elizabeth Craven. She was the widow of Sir William Craven, who had been the mayor of London. She gave the property to her son. The Craven family owned Coombe Abbey for the next 300 years.
The Craven Family's Time at Coombe Abbey
During the Craven family's ownership, Coombe Abbey was greatly improved. Many new buildings were added, like the west wing in 1677. The first Craven owner was Lieutenant General William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven.
Lieutenant General William Craven (1608-1687) was a Royalist. When he was 24, he joined the fight to help Frederick and Elizabeth (the former Princess Elizabeth) get their throne back in Germany. He spent most of his life helping them and became a favorite of King Charles I and later Kings of England.
In 1662, Elizabeth died. She left William Craven her collection of paintings from the Stuart Royal Family. These included artworks by famous artists like Rubens and Van Dyck. These paintings stayed at Coombe Abbey until the early 1900s.
Changes to the Estate
The first Earl of Craven died in 1697 without marrying. His cousin's son, William Craven, 2nd Baron Craven, took over the Abbey. It was passed down through the family until 1769, when William Craven, 6th Baron Craven became the owner. In 1771, he hired a very famous landscape designer named Capability Brown. Brown was asked to make the gardens and land around the Abbey look more modern and beautiful.
Capability Brown was great at creating winding lakes that looked like natural rivers. He built a dam on Smite Brook to create the main lake, Coombe Pool, and a smaller one called Top Pool. This large body of water is 1.5 miles long and covers 90 acres. It's shaped like an 'L' or 'dog-leg' so it seems to go on forever. Brown also designed seven other buildings on the estate with his son-in-law, Henry Holland. One of these was the boathouse, which is still there today. He also designed the menagerie (a place for animals) in Coombe Park. Its unique hexagonal tower with a domed roof was inspired by King Louis XIV’s Royal Menagerie at the Palace of Versailles.
In 1825, William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven became the owner. In 1860, he hired William Eden Nesfield to make big changes to the house. New living areas for servants were built. The east wing and part of the north wing were taken down and rebuilt in a completely different style. Beautiful ornamental gardens were also created, including a moat.
The last Earl of Craven to live in Coombe Abbey was William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven. When he died in 1921, his wife, Cornelia Countess of Craven, decided to sell the property. A builder named John Grey bought it in 1923.
In November 1964, Coventry City Council bought Coombe Abbey along with 150 acres (0.61 km2) of land. The park was opened to the public in 1966.
Coombe Abbey on TV and in Movies
Coombe Abbey has been used as a filming location! It was the outside of the Mayor's house in the 2009 movie Nativity!, which starred Martin Freeman. It was also used to film the pilot episode of The Wrong Funeral and the comedy 4th Floor Of Singapore in 2013.
Images for kids
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The main entrance to Coombe Abbey and the park
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The West Wing, lake and gardens.
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Coombe Abbey, view of the buildings from the main drive.
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Coombe Abbey in the early 18th century from Kip and Knyff's Britannia Illustrata.
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Coombe Abbey in 1797, painted by Maria Johnson.
