So this visit was initially made to explore the remains of Calwich Abbey (previously a priory, founded circa 1130) but unfortunately there were a few workers in the yard out front, doing some clearing. Permission was asked to come in and take some photos but we were declined.
A little history of the Abbey, pulled from wiki:
After the death of the prior in 1530, only one canon remained in residence and in 1532 the house was suppressed and handed over to Rocester Abbey for disposal. By 1543, the property had been acquired by the Fleetwood family, who converted the priory buildings into a dwelling house.
The estate was purchased from the Fleetwoods by Bernard Granville. He demolished the priory house and built a new house nearer the stream which he turned into a lake. Granville died childless in 1775, bequeathing the property to his nephew, the Reverend John D'Ewes, who assumed the surname Granville on inheriting the estate. He also left the estate in 1826 to a nephew, Court D'Ewes, who similarly adopted the surname Granville. This house hosted visits by Erasmus Darwin, Handel, Anna Seward and the philosopher, Rousseau.
The estate was then acquired by the Duncombe family in the 1840's, who rebuilt the house in 1849-1850, on higher ground, in a Jacobean style by architect William Burn.
So on we walked, a little further down the public footpath and a little off track, down past the fishing lake and we come to this elegant looking fishing temple, built in 1797.
I can't find much information or any historical photos online of the temple but it's definitely the grandest fishing lodge/temple I've ever seen! To our surprise, the front 6 panelled door was unlocked on our visit and nobody was around, so in we went... somebody must still use it at some point, as the table wasn't covered in dust and the candles in bottles looked as if they'd been used relatively recently.
The last 3 photos are, I believe, what's left of an old mill that used to serve the Abbey. I'm not 100% sure though.
Enjoy the pics folks, I need to go back one day and take some better, more detailed shots!
A little history of the Abbey, pulled from wiki:
After the death of the prior in 1530, only one canon remained in residence and in 1532 the house was suppressed and handed over to Rocester Abbey for disposal. By 1543, the property had been acquired by the Fleetwood family, who converted the priory buildings into a dwelling house.
The estate was purchased from the Fleetwoods by Bernard Granville. He demolished the priory house and built a new house nearer the stream which he turned into a lake. Granville died childless in 1775, bequeathing the property to his nephew, the Reverend John D'Ewes, who assumed the surname Granville on inheriting the estate. He also left the estate in 1826 to a nephew, Court D'Ewes, who similarly adopted the surname Granville. This house hosted visits by Erasmus Darwin, Handel, Anna Seward and the philosopher, Rousseau.
The estate was then acquired by the Duncombe family in the 1840's, who rebuilt the house in 1849-1850, on higher ground, in a Jacobean style by architect William Burn.
So on we walked, a little further down the public footpath and a little off track, down past the fishing lake and we come to this elegant looking fishing temple, built in 1797.
I can't find much information or any historical photos online of the temple but it's definitely the grandest fishing lodge/temple I've ever seen! To our surprise, the front 6 panelled door was unlocked on our visit and nobody was around, so in we went... somebody must still use it at some point, as the table wasn't covered in dust and the candles in bottles looked as if they'd been used relatively recently.
The last 3 photos are, I believe, what's left of an old mill that used to serve the Abbey. I'm not 100% sure though.
Enjoy the pics folks, I need to go back one day and take some better, more detailed shots!
