Lower Brockhampton Manor: 14th Century Manor House
Lower Brockhampton Manor, a 14th century moated manor house guarded by a timber-framed gatehouse.
The view of the manor, surrounded by its wide moat and guarded by its small timber gatehouse, is one that will live long in the memory of visitors.
Today, the historic property is owned by the National Trust and open to visitors.
On the ground floor you can see a parlour, lounge, kitchen, Buttery and Great Hall. Upstairs there are several bedrooms and a large hallway.
Each room inside the manor depicts a different time period from the 1400s through to the 1950s.
Originally constructed in 1425 by John Dumbleton, Brockhampton Manor House stands proudly at the centre of the Brockhampton estate.
The only access across the moat is through a picturesque timber-framed gatehouse, built in 1530.
This two-storeyed gatehouse was constructed as a symbol of wealth, alerting guests they were visiting a very important family.
Tree-ring dating dates the gatehouse to around 1530–40.
The decorative bargeboards carved with trailing vines are faithful reproductions of the decayed originals, but the studded door is a remarkable survival.
It’s thought illegal masses were held in the gatehouse from 1559–1791 - rumour has it that the wooden ‘V’s built into the structure were secret symbols for ‘Virgin Mary’.
A short distance beyond the Tudor gatehouse stand the ruins of a Norman chapel.
The now-ruined chapel is one of the longest standing features of the Brockhampton.
The original chapel was made mostly from timber and daub (a mixture of mud and dung which becomes hard when set), and the only surviving parts of this first construction are the shallow foundations.
The chapel we see today was most likely built around 1166. The octagonal font inside was carved from a single block of stone and also dates from the same era.
The chapel is constructed out of local stone and excavations tell us it once had stone roof tiles with ceramic green glazed ridge tops and walls plastered with lime whitewash.
The Domultons, who were the owners of the newly-built manor house in the early 1400s, are thought to be responsible for updating the chapel and adding the large east window.
It’s most likely these modifications were made the same time the manor was being built.
The manor itself was built by the Brockhampton family, who lived here since at least the 12th century.
The name comes from a combination of words meaning 'brook settlement', and was first recorded as Brochantone in 1166.
Inside the manor house
In Bartholomew Barnaby's chamber, keep an eye out for a finely crafted wool tapestry adorned with intricate embroidery, meticulously crafted by members of the Ross on Wye Arts Society.
Drawing inspiration from the timeless motif of the tree of life, this tapestry incorporates classic crewel design elements.
It vividly portrays scenes of daily life on the estate during the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring pastoral imagery such as sheep, cattle, bees, and the picturesque gatehouse overlooking the tranquil moat.
Should you desire to delve deeper into the history of the manor, friendly volunteers stationed throughout the house are eager to share captivating anecdotes, or you may peruse the informative materials available in each room.
The Buttery is another fascinating room.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the Buttery is a room linked to dairy products, but its main purpose was to store alcohol. The name comes from the wooden alcohol ‘butts’ or barrels.
Occupants of the manor house would’ve had their apples pressed on the estate and the cider would be stored in the cool Buttery to ferment, before being served in the magnificent Great Hall at dinner time.
We continue the tradition of apple pressing in October, using the Buttery to store the fermenting cider, so in the Buttery you’ll see cider butts on display.
Ghosts at the manor house
At almost 600 years old, it probably comes as no surprise that Lower Brockhampton Manor has its own ghost story or two.
Sudden drops in temperature, a sweet perfume-like smell wafting through the house and the feeling that someone is standing next to you have been reported by visitors.
Less frequently, there have been sightings of a Victorian lady – Brockhampton’s very own ‘grey lady’ – who wanders the corridors and who is perhaps responsible for that sweet aroma?
According to the National Trust, a well-documented case occurred in 1972, when Mr and Mrs Freegard were the occupiers.
Mr Freegard was so shaken by the spooky occurrences he said he would ‘be unwilling to spend a night by himself in the 15th-century home'.
The Freegards decided to share their chilling story with the local newspaper who stated: ‘As a farmer, Mr Freeguard has both feet planted firmly on the ground’.
Whilst sleeping in the front bedroom, he was woken by a presence in the middle of the night, stating the covers were lifted from his body as he felt a weight enter the bed next to him.
After such a frightening experience he swapped bedrooms, refusing to sleep in that room again.
Other family members also claimed they had a similar experience whilst sleeping in that room and it was left unoccupied for many years.
Someone who recently visited the manor said: “Quite a small house but each room has been made up in a different period, the downstairs being more recent with many items familiar to older visitors!
”At this site are several walks to take around the estate and they can be joined together to make longer walks. Some fabulous scenery on the way and a lot of ancient woodland.
’Be prepared to get a bit muddy as some of the trails are boggy.”
To book tickets and find out more, check out the National Trust website.
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