Cudworth Manor is a
Grade II listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
privately owned
moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
ed
manor house
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
in
Newdigate
Newdigate is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley borough of Surrey lying in a relatively flat part of the Weald to the east of the A24 road between Dorking and Horsham, ESE of Guildford and south of London. Neighbouring paris ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
.
History
In 1298–9, Walter de la Poyle died seised of the site of the manor of Cudworth or Cudford, in
Newdigate
Newdigate is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley borough of Surrey lying in a relatively flat part of the Weald to the east of the A24 road between Dorking and Horsham, ESE of Guildford and south of London. Neighbouring paris ...
and
Rusper
Rusper is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies north of the town of Horsham and west of Crawley. Rusper is the centre of Rusper Parish which covers most of the northern area between Horsham and Cr ...
,
Sussex
Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
, which he held of the
Abbot of Chertsey in
socage
Socage () was one of the feudal duties and land tenure forms in the Feudalism, English feudal system. It eventually evolved into the freehold tenure called "free and common socage", which did not involve feudal duties. Farmers held land in excha ...
. It is believed that the site dates from c.1300 and that the original house was built by the Newdigate family.
Building materials of medieval date which are visible in the footings of the present house suggest that, in its final form, the moated manor took the form of a courtyard house of which extensive remains may survive in what is now the garden of the house. The manor's
moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
survives intact and in an excellent condition.
[Grade II listing of Cudworth Manor ]
Walter de la Poyle's grandson, Henry (d.1360), owned the manor at the time of his death. Some time in the later sixteenth century, Richard Bowett bought the estate, and was later owned by his elder then his younger sons, Thomas Bowett (d.1574) and Nicholas Bowett. John Thorpe bought the estate from Nicholas Bowett in 1579, and it was later sold to the Ede family in 1636 and, in 1775, to Lee Steere (d.1785). It remained the home of the Steere family for some generations. The estate, which includes over 8 acres and the
lordship of the manor
Lord of the Manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England, referred to the landholder of a rural estate. The lord enjoyed manorial rights (the rights to establish and occupy a residence, known as the manor house and demesne) as well as seig ...
, was put up for sale for £2.25 million in 2017.
Architecture
The present house dates from the 16th century, with late 17th century, 19th century and 20th century extensions. It is
timber framed
Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...
with 17th century brick infilling, 17th century corbelled stacks, and one 4-light mullioned and transomed casement.
See also
*
Newdigate
Newdigate is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley borough of Surrey lying in a relatively flat part of the Weald to the east of the A24 road between Dorking and Horsham, ESE of Guildford and south of London. Neighbouring paris ...
References
External links
Newdigate Local History Society - Archived Photographs of Cudworth Manor
{{Authority control
Grade II listed buildings in Surrey
Mole Valley
Listed buildings in Surrey