Coughton Court is an imposing Tudor house set in beautiful gardens with a collection of Catholic treasures.
The Coughton estate has been owned by the Throckmorton family since 1409. Coughton was rebuilt by Sir George Throckmorton, the first son of Sir Robert Throckmorton of Coughton Court by Catherine Marrow, daughter of William Marrow of London. Throckmorton would become notorious due to his almost fatal involvement in the divorce between King Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Throckmorton favoured the queen and was against the Reformation.
After Throckmorton’s death in 1552, Coughton passed to his eldest son, Robert Throckmorton and his family, who were practicing Catholics. The house at one time contained a priest hole, a hiding place for priests during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law in England, from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Hall also holds a place in English history for its roles in both the Throckmorton Plot of 1583 to murder Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, although the Throckmorton family were themselves only indirectly implicated in the latter, when some of the Gunpowder conspirators rode directly there after its discovery.
Coughton Court – photos of the front and back of the house.
Up in the tower.
There are two churches in the grounds – here’s the interior of the catholic church.
The house has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1946.
We were fortunate to hear a talk about the Gunpowder plot given by one of the volunteers, who bought it all to life; and also to talk to an ancestor of one of the plotting team who had been hanged, drawn and quartered for his involvement.
The Walking Wilkes 