Report - Copford Place Feb '11

[mookster]

This is a sort of mini-report/warning about this place for future visitors. Visited as part of mine and msaunder1972's big weekender, with a guest appearance from DubbedNavigator.

British History Online:

Apparently late 17th century, a two storeyed, sevenbayed, doublepile house that forms the south range of Copford Place; it contains a chimneypiece dated 1698 and other fittings of about that date. The house probably then faced the road and was of red brick like the stable to the north. In the early 19th century the house was extended northeast by two bays to create an east entrance and given plain classical white brick fa¸ades. In 1947 it was converted into private accommodation for elderly people, and in 1980 taken over by Help the Aged which in 1998 refurbished the house as self contained flats

I saw this on another forum and the main draw was the staircase for me, the rest looked a bit empty apart from a fugly fireplace and some butter knives. Also mentioned in the report was evidence of a squat in an attic room but it seemed empty - not so today, the electricity is all plugged in, there was food on the stove and some very fresh looking bread in the kitchens! So someone is obviously calling this place home, luckily whoever they were was out when we visited, we collectively felt unnerved by this so beat a retreat.

Like I say I only got a few pics, mainly of the great staircase. The house is boarded pretty much top to bottom except the attic windows and skylight which also makes shooting a bit of a chore.

Thanks for looking