Cottesbrooke Hall facts for kids
Cottesbrooke Hall is a very important and beautiful country house in Northamptonshire, England. It's a "Grade I listed" building, which means it's considered one of the most important historic buildings in the country. The Hall and its large estate are a wonderful example of old English architecture and gardens.
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Where is Cottesbrooke Hall?
Cottesbrooke Hall is located in the English countryside. It's about 10 miles (16 km) north of the town of Northampton. The small village of Cottesbrooke is right next to the estate. You can find it near the A5199 road.
About the Hall and its Estate
Cottesbrooke Hall is a great example of a building from the Queen Anne period. This style was popular in the early 1700s. The house was started in 1702 and finished in 1713. Sir John Langham built it, and it looks much the same today. It's made of brick with special stone details and has a grand look with many windows.
The Hall is surrounded by a huge park called Cottesbrooke Park. This park was designed in the 1700s. Inside the Hall, you can see beautiful old furniture and decorations. It also holds the famous Woolavington Collection. This is one of the biggest collections of paintings about sports in the world!
In 2000, Cottesbrooke Hall's gardens won the "Garden of the Year" Award. You can visit the Hall and its gardens from May to September. It's a good idea to book ahead if you want to see inside the house.
History of Cottesbrooke Hall
The Cottesbrooke estate was bought in 1635 by Sir John Langham, 1st Baronet. He was a very rich merchant from London and a member of Parliament. The estate stayed in the Langham family for many years.
In 1702, the 4th Baronet, another Sir John Langham, started building the Hall you see today. Later, in 1877, a very famous visitor stayed at the Hall. This was Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who used it as a base for her hunting trips!
In 1911, the Langham family had to sell the estate. It was bought by Captain Robert Bingham Brassey. Since 1937, Cottesbrooke has been the home of the MacDonald-Buchanan family. They made some changes to the Hall in 1937-1938. For example, they moved the main entrance to a different side of the house.
Did you know? Cottesbrooke Hall is thought to have inspired "Mansfield Park." This is the country estate in Jane Austen's famous novel from 1814.
The Gardens at Cottesbrooke
The gardens you see today were mostly created in the 20th century. An architect named Robert Weir Schultz designed a special sunken garden with a pool. He also planned a long paved path with beautiful flower borders. Old cedar trees stand tall over this area.
You'll find old gates that lead to rows of lime trees and a statue of a gladiator. There's also a "statue walk" lined with yew hedges. Along this walk are four amazing statues by Peter Scheemakers. These statues were bought in 1938 from another famous estate called Stowe.
South of the house, where the main entrance used to be, there's a new garden. It was designed in 1937 by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. This garden has a special pattern with trimmed topiary shapes made from yew trees. You can also see lead statues, beds of 'Iceberg' roses, and pots of agapanthus flowers.
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