Brinsop Court, in picturesque Herefordshire, quickly bewitches many of our couples, who want to learn more about its centuries-long, fascinating history. So here’s a potted version.
The earliest years
The story begins in the early 1300s, when a local squire constructed the oldest parts of the building on medieval foundations. Ralph Torrell (or Tirrell) was benefactor in 1210, and the first known lord of Brinsop. His family later officially received the place from Henry III in return for their military assistance.
According to ancient documents, the original layout incorporated a drawbridge and chapel (later the Gothic Room) with a crypt below the kitchen, plus a dungeon and blacksmith’s forge. The moat also dates to the Tirrell family and reportedly had a drawbridge with two ‘grotesque’ monkeys standing guard.
However, there are potential links with an even earlier period, a Norman settlement and the slaying of a dragon on the spot where the church was founded. The Banqueting Hall beams are carbon-dated to 1180.
The Dansey era
Over the years, various families have owned Brinsop Court, most notably the Dansey family, who were important locally and in whose possession it remained for more than 500 years, from the fifteenth century onwards. This family’s long ownership is marked by stained-glass windows commemorating a visit from King Charles I in 1645. The Danseys added key features including wooden cladding throughout the house and Georgian moulding in the library.
Other additions included a fifteenth-century barn dating from Tudor times, later home to hunting trophies and similar pieces. Significant extensions during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and more recent renovations have retained its 1300s charm.
The Dansey family line died out at the start of the nineteenth century, and a string of different owners followed.
The English Civil War
During the English Civil War (1642 – 1651), the house was the location for a number of secret meetings. In 1644, it was the site of a skirmish when Colonel John Birch’s Parliamentary forces took Brinsop Court from Royalist forces in the wake of a surprise raid. The manor house then became a temporary HQ for Parliamentarians.
In 1642, Roger Dansey took the king’s side in the English Civil War, loyalty which was later rewarded when the monarchy returned. (In the late 1640s, William Dansey married Lady Douglas Dudley, granddaughter of Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite.)
In 1645, Royalist troops attempted to retake the house in an attack from Hereford, although the Parliamentarian garrison held them off. But Brinsop was nonetheless damaged during the conflict.
Famous guests
Over the years, famous visitors have included William Wordsworth, after Brinsop was leased to his brother-in-law Thomas Hutchinson. Wordsworth stayed here between December 1827 and January 1828, during which time he wrote a number of sonnets. His sister Dorothy lived here with her family, and who described the property as ‘no cheerless spot’. (We think that’s an understatement, frankly.)
Wordsworth’s son-in-law, the poet Edward Quillinan, penned an epitaph to a dog called Prince, and this can still be seen in the Banqueting Hall.
Many years later, Stephen Hawking and his colleague Andy Strominger hosted yearly workshops for the scientific community at the estate, where they could work without interruptions. When Hawking died in 2018, a workshop marked the physicist’s remarkable life.
The modern period
In 1817, economist David Ricardo bought it for what seems a laughably small sum today – £26,000.
From 1912, Brinsop was owed by Hubert Astley and his wife, Lady Constance Sutton. The couple commissioned Henry Tipping to modernise the place and transformed its design by adding the east wing to create a full square of the building, and this work was completed in 1913. Additionally, outbuildings were upgraded and the gardens extended to create a working farm. Astley died in 1925 and was laid to rest in Brinsop’s churchyard.
Captain Philip Astley brought his wife Madeleine Caroll to Brinsop after inheriting the house in the 1930s. She was a popular actress whose friends included playwright and song writer Noel Coward, who also stayed here. The couple divorced in 1939, by which time Carroll had become the world’s best-paid actress. She starred in movies including Hitchcock’s 39 Steps. While Captain Astley completed significant work to the east wing, Carroll introduced flamingos to the estate.
After World War II, a school called La Retraite used Brinsop Court for a time for its boarders, while nuns tended the grounds. The house was then owned by Sir Derrick Bailey.
Brinsop today
Since 2005, owners Martin and Pat Churchward have mainly used the estate to host high-quality events including weddings.
Reflecting its heritage and history, the manor house is a Grade I listed building, while the bridge across the moat is a Grade II listed structure. Today, the past is everywhere you look, in the ornate ceilings, mullioned windows, imposing fireplaces, beams and staircases you can see everywhere.
What’s more, the Churchwards have worked tirelessly to renovate Brinsop Court. In each of the four wings, colour, pattern and texture have been coordinated, leaving the original features to speak for themselves. Meanwhile, modern comforts have been introduced or upgraded without compromising Brinsop’s proud history.
A fairytale modern-day wedding against a backdrop of centuries of history
Hold your wedding at Brinsop Court and immerse yourself in all those centuries of history while enjoying every modern comfort plus impeccable service. The estate encompasses 800 acres, surrounded by water, along with stunning landscapes, views and photo opportunities alongside sensitively restored farmhouse cottages plus our traditional barn, The Knot. It can be exclusively yours for a whole weekend.
Make our extensive heritage part of your own personal history. Learn more about our wedding packages and late availability, download our brochure and be in touch if you have any queries.
