Guy's Cliffe
| Guy's Cliffe | |
| Warwickshire | |
|---|---|
 Guy's Cliffe | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP292668 |
| Location: | 52°17’56"N, 1°34’20"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Warwick |
| Postcode: | CV34 |
| Local Government | |
Guy's Cliffe (variously spelled with and without an apostrophe and with and without the final "e") is a hamlet on the River Avon on the Coventry Road between Warwick and Leek Wootton in Warwickshire, close to Old Milverton.
The name 'Guy's Cliffe' originates from the name of the country house and estate that the land belonged to, which in turn was named after the cliff which the house itself was built on. The house has been in a ruined state since the late 20th century.
History
Before 1900
Guy's Cliffe has been occupied since Anglo-Saxon times but its name is later: it derives from the legendary Guy of Warwick. Guy is supposed to have retired to a hermitage on this site, this legend led to the founding of a chantry. The chantry was established in 1423 as the Chapel of St Mary Magdelene and the rock-carved stables and storehouses still remain. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII the site passed into private hands.
The current, ruined house dates from 1751 and was started by Samuel Greatheed, a West India merchant and Member of Parliament for Coventry 1747-1761. Samuel Greatheed was one of the most prominent slave traders in the Caribbean and later received the large sum of £25,000 in compensation from the government following the abolition of slavery.
The estate also comprised a mill, stables, kitchen garden and land as far as Blacklow Hill.
Blacklow Hill is north-west of the house. It is the site of an ancient settlement and the location of the murder of Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall.
Piers Gaveston was a Gascon knight and the favourite of the young King Edward II, but he was hated by the nobility for his closeness to the king, which was the subject of scandalous rumours. He was exiled on a number of occasions. In 1308 the King travelled to Boulogne to marry Isabella, leaving Gaveston to act as regent, which was the final provocation and the King was forced to agree ordinances exiling Piers Gaveston from England and all of Edward's lands. When nevertheless he returned to England in 1312, the Earl of Lancaster ordered Gaveston's arrest. He was captured first by the Earl of Warwick, whom he was seen to have offended. Warwick put Gaveston in the charge of two Welsh servants, who took him to Blacklow Hill and murdered him; one ran him through the heart with his sword and the other beheaded him.
In 1821 Bertie Greatheed erected a stone cross to mark the execution of Piers Gaveston, "Gaveston's Cross" and later commented in his diary that he could read the inscription on the cross with his telescope from the house.
1900 Onwards
The house was used as a hospital during First World War and in the Second World War became a school for evacuated children.
Guy's Cliffe estate was broken up and sold in 1947. In 1952 the mill became a pub and restaurant and was named The Saxon Mill, the stables became a riding school, the kitchen garden became a nursery, all of which still exist today. A toll house also stood by the road to the north of the Saxon Mill, but this was demolished in the mid 20th century.
The new owner of the house intended to convert it into a hotel, but these plans came to nothing and the house fell into disrepair. In 1955 the house was purchased by Aldwyn Porter and the chapel leased to the Freemasons, establishing a connection with the Masons that remains today. The roof had fallen in by 1966. In 1992 during the filming of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (The Last Vampyre) a fire scene got out of control and seriously damaged the building, leading to an insurance claim. English Heritage has given the building grade II listed status.
One new house was built within the grounds, Guy's Cliffe House, which dramatically increased the population of the old Parish of Guy's Cliffe, which had been just 4 people.
Points of interest
- The chapel, used for Masonic ceremonies, has a large statue depicting Guy of Warwick.
- Saxon Mill on the River Avon, a former water powered mill, now a pub and restaurant.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Guy's Cliffe) |
- The GuysCliffeHouse.org.uk Photo Gallery Archive
- Guys Cliffe House entry from The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses
- The Civil Parish of Leek Wootton and Guy's Cliffe Hubsite
- Leek Wootton & Guy's Cliffe Parish Council
References
- Warwickshire Museum details for Guy's Cliffe House
- English Heritage: Heritage Gateway, architectural description of listed building
- Guy's Cliffe – A History of the County of Warwick - Volume pp 434-447: {{{2}}} (Victoria County History)