Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation) facts for kids
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Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (born June 17, 1697 – died April 20, 1759) was an important English landowner. He was also a big supporter of the arts. He is most famous for planning and building Holkham Hall in north Norfolk. This amazing house is still a popular place to visit today.
From 1722 to 1728, Thomas Coke was a Member of Parliament for Norfolk. This meant he helped make laws for the country. Later, he was given the special title of the first Earl of Leicester. This was a very old and respected title.
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Early Life and Grand Tour
Thomas Coke was the son of Edward Coke (his family name is pronounced "Cook") and Carey Newton. His family had a long history. One of his ancestors was Sir Edward Coke, a famous judge and politician.
Thomas Coke married Lady Margaret Tufton. She was the daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet. Lady Margaret later became the 19th Baroness de Clifford.
When he was a young man, Thomas Coke went on a long trip called the 'Grand Tour'. This trip lasted six years! He traveled all over Europe. He returned to England in 1718.
Adventures in Rome
While on his Grand Tour, Thomas Coke visited Rome in 1715. There, he met two important people. One was Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington. He was an architect who loved the old Roman style of building. The other was William Kent, an artist and designer.
These meetings were very important for Thomas Coke. He later hired both Burlington and Kent to help design his new home. He wanted his house to be built in the Palladian style. This was a popular style that copied ancient Roman buildings.
Collecting Art and Books
During his travels, Thomas Coke collected many works of art. He brought these treasures back to England. They would later fill his grand new mansion.
In 1717, he bought a very special book. It was called the Codex Leicester. This book contained writings by the famous Italian artist and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci.
Building Holkham Hall
In 1728, Thomas Coke was given a new title. He became Baron Lovel, and people called him Lord Lovel.
However, he faced some big money problems. He had invested in a company called the South Sea Company. This investment lost a lot of money. Because of this, his plans to build a new country house were delayed for over ten years.
Designing the Grand House
It wasn't until about 1732 that the architects Burlington and Kent started drawing plans for the new house. A local architect from Norfolk, Matthew Brettingham, also helped a lot with the design. Some people even say that Thomas Coke himself helped design the beautiful Marble Hall inside the house.
Work on the foundations of Holkham Hall began in 1734. But building such a huge house took a very long time. It was 30 years before the work was finished!
A Giant's Home
As he looked at his amazing new home, Lord Leicester once said something interesting. He felt like he was a "Giant of Giant Castle." He meant that his house was so big and grand, it stood out from everything else around it.
Later Life and Legacy
Thomas Coke was made Earl of Leicester on May 9, 1744. He passed away on April 20, 1759. This was five years before Holkham Hall was completely finished. He never fully got back the money he had lost earlier.
After his death, his wife, Lady Margaret, took charge. She made sure the house was finished and furnished beautifully.
Thomas Coke had only one son, Edward Coke. Sadly, his son died before him in 1753. Edward's marriage to Mary Campbell did not have any children. So, when Thomas Coke died, Holkham Hall was inherited by his nephew, Wenman Roberts. Wenman was the son of Thomas's sister, Anne Coke.
Wenman Roberts changed his name to Coke when he inherited the family estates. When he died in 1776, his son, another Thomas Coke, inherited the house. This second Thomas Coke later became the 1st Earl of Leicester of Holkham. He was also a Member of Parliament and helped improve farming methods.
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