Brief Description
The garden at Willersey Manor features a former dovecote. The house was originally associated with Evesham Abbey.
History
Willersey Manor is reputed to have been built in the 14th century for the Abbot of Evesham as his summer residence. The property is traditionally associated with the Elizabethan composer William Byrd.
- Features
- Dovecote
- Description: Former dovecote now used as a store.
- Authorities
Civil Parish
- Willersey
- History
Detailed History
Willersey Manor is reputed to have been built in the 14th century for the Abbot of Evesham as his summer residence. After the dissolution of the monasteries the Manor was granted to John Bourne, Queen Mary’s Secretary of State. The property is traditionally associated with the Elizabethan composer William Byrd (around 1540-1623). During the 16th and 17th centuries it belonged to the Roper family who were staunch Catholics. After Anthony Roper's death in 1737 the property was owned by the Gibbs family and after them by Walter Ingles.
- Contact
- References
References
- Atkyns, R. et al, {The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire} (London: Robert Gosling, 1712), pp. 820-1The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire
- Verey, D., {The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 1, The Cotswolds} (London: Penguin, 1970), pp. 724-5The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds
Contributors
D G Chamberlayne
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