RBH Home
  Maps & Travels
  Articles
  Legends
  Towns & Villages
  Castles & Houses
  Churches
  Biographies
  Gentry
  Family History
  Odds & Ends
  Mail David

Ockwells Manor

Ockwells Manor is the most magnificent medieval secular building in the county. It survives almost completely intact from its original erection for Sir John Norreys between 1446 and 1466. The timber-framed house with brick infill forms the east side of a small courtyard, with the lord's solar and servants' apartments at either end, and kitchen and offices to the west. There was originally a larger court around the main facade with chapel, stables, barn and a large brick curtain wall. This is an extremely fine example of a medieval hall house, complete with original screens passage and a hall over 40 ft long. It is most famous for its superb heraldic glass installed by the builder. This displays the great Lancastrian connections of which Sir John was so proud. The arms of:

• Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick
• Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset
• Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England
• John De La Pole, Duke of Suffolk
• King Henry VI
• James Butler, Earl of Ormonde & Wiltshire
• Abingdon Abbey
• Richard Beauchamp, Bishop of Salisbury
• Sir John Norreys
• John Wenlock, Baron Wenlock
• Sir William Laken
• Mortimer of Chirk
• Sir Richard Nanfan
• Sir John Norreys (again)
• Sir John Langford
• John Purye
• Richard Bulstrode

They must have been somewhat more embarrassing to him when he was forced to switch his allegiance at the fall from power of King Henry VI during the War of the Roses.

The manor had originally been given to Sir John's ancestor, Richard le Norreys, Queen Eleanor's chief cook, in 1283. The family lived there until 1517 when Sir John's great-grandson and namesake had to give it up as punishment for murdering one John Enhold of Nettlebed (Oxfordshire)! The place was subsequently owned by Sir Thomas Fettiplace and his family, and then the Days.