Name: Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote
Rating: 5.0

Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote

Minster Lovell, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 0RR, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

The ruins of Minster Lovell Hall are located in a beautiful rural setting beside the River Windrush. The hall is approached from the north, through the adjacent churchyard, but there is a footpath along the Windrush valley from the east, which originally provided access to the site. The picturesque ruins of Minster Lovell Hall, a 15th century Oxfordshire manor house, lie in a beautiful rural setting beside the River Windrush. They include a fine hall, tower and nearby dovecote.

Minster Lovell Hall was built in the 1430s by William, Baron of Lovell and Holand - one of the richest men in England. It was later home to Francis, Viscount Lovell, a close ally of Richard III. After several changes of hands the hall was abandoned and eventually demolished in the 18th century, leaving the extensive remains that stand today.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

History of Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote: The ruins of Minster Lovell Hall are located in a beautiful rural setting beside the River Windrush. The hall is approached from the north, through the adjacent churchyard, but there is a footpath along the Windrush valley from the east, which originally provided access to the site.
There has been a manor house at Minster Lovell since at least the 12th century, but the major part of the ruins seen today are those of a large new house built by William, Baron of Lovell and Holand, in the 1430s after his return from the French wars. Through marriage and good fortune William was one of the richest men in England, and he built his house as a demonstration of his wealth.
William’s son John, a prominent Lancastrian and servant of Henry VI, was rewarded with the position of master forester of the neighbouring royal forest, Wychwood. By contrast, John’s son Francis, the ninth baron, served the Yorkist cause, and was created Viscount Lovell by Richard III.
Following the defeat of the House of York in the battle of Bosworth in 1485 the hall passed into the hands of the Crown and eventually, in 1602, into the possession of the successful lawyer Sir Edward Coke. His descendant Thomas Coke, later Earl of Leicester, was in residence in 1721 and in 1728 he assumed the title Lord Lovell of Minster Lovell.
The hall was, however, abandoned in favour of the Cokes’ seat at Holkham, Norfolk, begun in the 1730s, and in about 1747 most of the buildings were dismantled, the east and west ranges and the kitchens being demolished for building stone.
Description: The buildings are grouped around a central courtyard in a form characteristic of a late medieval manor house. In the 15th century the household was the central institution in the life of the aristocracy. Good lordship and hospitality were fundamental to the maintenance of the loyalties – both in peacetime and during local or national conflicts – on which late medieval society relied. The porch to the north wing, approached down a patterned, cobbled pathway, has a striking vaulted ceiling. Beyond the porch is the great hall, the walls of which still stand to a height, in places, of 12 metres (39 feet).

Facilities

Parking: If there is space, use the small car park which serves St Kenelm's Church, which is roughly a five minute walk from the site. The streets of the village are very narrow so please do not block access for emergency vehicles or entrances to private properties.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open any reasonable daylight hours, The Dovecote is exterior viewing only.

Address: Minster Lovell, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 0RR, UK

Post Code: OX29 0RR

Council: West Oxfordshire

County: Oxfordshire

Road Access: Adjacent to Minster Lovell church; 3 miles west of Witney, off A40.
Train Access: Charlbury 7 miles.
Bus Access: Stagecoach in Oxford S2, 233; Swanbrook 853; also Villager Community Bus then short walk.
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: If there is space, use the small car park which serves St Kenelm's Church, which is roughly a five minute walk from the site. The streets of the village are very narrow so please do not block access for emergency vehicles or entrances to private properties.