Cowdray re-opened to the public in March 2007 and there are themed Event Days throughout the year such as period cooking, nature days, children’s entertainment., talks and medieval encampments.
The opening followed an intricate and detailed two-year ‘restoration, stabilisation, access and interpretation’ project which has been undertaken thanks to a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant and support from English Heritage, the Cowdray Estate, individuals and the local community.
With a history dating back to the early 1500s, Cowdray was in its heyday during the reign of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, both of whom visited and stayed at the house, with Henry VIII being a frequent visitor. Nearly three hundred years later and whilst undergoing repairs and refurbishments for the impending marriage of the 8th Viscount Montague, a devastating fire took hold on the evening of the 24th September 1793. The house was destroyed to a great extent – but with significant exceptions such as the intact Kitchen Tower.
For the next century this exquisite example of Tudor architecture simply rotted away and its gradually decaying structure was visited by numerous artists, scholars and writers alike including William Turner and John Constable who both painted the landscape.
Since then it has remained largely untouched although the 1st Viscount Cowdray did commission a restoration project between 1909-1914 when St John Hope was asked to report on Cowdray, Easebourne Priory and St Anne’s Hill. This work is generally credited with having saved the Cowdray ruins from total collapse. Nevertheless this period of desertion ensured that the features that remained of this important Tudor building were untouched and consequently give us today a unique glimpse of many important features of Tudor architecture which would otherwise have been lost.
Cowdray today is in the care of the Cowdray Heritage Trust, an independent charity now responsible for managing the site on a 99-year lease from the Cowdray Estate. The Trust was formed in 1996 after Midhurst Town Council and the current (4th) Viscount Cowdray met to formulate a plan to save the ruins from total collapse and to make it a successful visitor attraction and a vibrant living part of the area’s heritage. Although a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade 1 listed building, Cowdray had been on English Heritage’s “At Risk” Register.
Cowdray has now re-opening to the public and is open Wednesdays to Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays during the season. There is comprehensive interpretation and explanation throughout the site so that its significance, remaining historic fabric and layout can be easily understood. Stimulating and innovative approaches to interpretation through the use of audio guides, graphic panels and exhibits are available.
For full opening details click here.
Cowdray has many reasons to appeal to a wide variety of audiences and visitors from around the world including;
- archaeologists who can learn about this fascinating two year restoration and stabilisation project as well as anyone with a general interest in restoration work
- historians and anyone interested in or studying the Tudor, Stuart and Georgian periods - at school, university or for pleasure
- craftsmen-in-training who can come and see the work of skilled professionals
- garden landscape designers and gardeners in general who can now admire Capability Brown’s wonderful park landscape from the renovated roof of the surviving Kitchen Tower
- school children and budding chefs keen to learn about historical cooking techniques and kitchen layouts in the remaining Kitchen Tower
- old recipes as detailed in the “The Accomplisht Cook, Or the Art and Mystery of Cookery” book – one of the earliest English language cookery books written by Robert May in 1660. May was the Cook at Cowdray from the 1630’s and trained in France and England. The kitchens at Cowdray are the only one of May’s kitchens to survive in anything like their original form.
- the 2nd Viscount Montague who was in residence in the House in 1592 commissioned a book of “Household Rules” which explains the etiquette and practices of an important Tudor household. This is a major source of information about how this mansion was run and what was expected on a day-to-day basis.
The conserved Cowdray also has a Visitor Centre and Shop in the adjacent Cowdray Riverside Stables development. A screened presentation will give visitors a taster of the site and there will be a good selection of quality gifts, books and mementoes in the shop.
Volunteers will help out with general visitor enquiries and act as guides for group visits. There are also “Friends of Cowdray” who help with fundraising and special events taking place throughout the year. If you are interested in joining Cowdray as a Volunteer or as a Friend, then please contact the Visitor Centre via email at info@cowdray.org.uk or by telephoning 01730 810781.
Information on school visits, group tours and disabled access can all be provided.
Commented the Heritage Trust: , “The re-opening of Cowdray is a hugely exciting step for everyone who has been involved in this massive restoration project but also, we hope, for everyone living and working in and around this near 1,000 year old historic market town. For the first time since the house was tragically burnt down in 1793, we are able to explain its social, political, historical and archaeological significance both then and now and re-confirm its importance as one of few remaining examples of the English Tudor period.
For the past 100 years Cowdray has been a managed ruin but now, through the Cowdray Heritage Trust, it will become a living part of the community once more. We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone involved in helping achieve this project.”
Click here to find more detailed information of the actual conservation process....
|
