Mid-17th century Town House, Oundle, Northants
I always think of Oundle as being one of the architectural gems of this region, and whenever I walk past this building known as Cobthorne I always pause briefly to admire its beauty.
The Grade I-listed building, which sits back from the old high street (now called West Street) dates from 1656 and is regarded as the first and finest Town House in Oundle. It was built for William Boteler, a Major-General with Cromwell's Parliamentary forces in the English Civil War, who used (or perhaps "stole" is more accurate) the timber from the uncompleted nearby Lyveden New Bield in the construction of his new house. As Cromwell's senior soldier for Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties I suppose he thought he could do what he liked!
Interestingly, British Listed Buildings gives Cobthorne's date as 1700, but that is clearly not right. I understand that Cobthorne was acquired by Oundle School, along with several other fine old stone buildings in the town, around 100 years ago and is now the home of the Head of Oundle School.
The Elizabethan and early Stuart period has been described as the time of the great rebuilding, when many medieval houses were either extensively modernised or completely rebuilt. Oundle contains some fine examples of both and shows how prosperous the town was from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.
Mid-17th century Town House, Oundle, Northants
I always think of Oundle as being one of the architectural gems of this region, and whenever I walk past this building known as Cobthorne I always pause briefly to admire its beauty.
The Grade I-listed building, which sits back from the old high street (now called West Street) dates from 1656 and is regarded as the first and finest Town House in Oundle. It was built for William Boteler, a Major-General with Cromwell's Parliamentary forces in the English Civil War, who used (or perhaps "stole" is more accurate) the timber from the uncompleted nearby Lyveden New Bield in the construction of his new house. As Cromwell's senior soldier for Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties I suppose he thought he could do what he liked!
Interestingly, British Listed Buildings gives Cobthorne's date as 1700, but that is clearly not right. I understand that Cobthorne was acquired by Oundle School, along with several other fine old stone buildings in the town, around 100 years ago and is now the home of the Head of Oundle School.
The Elizabethan and early Stuart period has been described as the time of the great rebuilding, when many medieval houses were either extensively modernised or completely rebuilt. Oundle contains some fine examples of both and shows how prosperous the town was from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.