Sir Anthony Cope, 4th Baronet (16 November 1632 – 11 June 1675) was an English natural philosopher, politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1660 to 1675. Cope was the son of Sir John Cope, 3rd Baronet and his second wife Elizabeth Fane daughter of

Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland (1 February 158023 March 1629), (styled Sir Francis Fane between 1603 and 1624) of Mereworth in Kent and of Apethorpe in Northamptonshire was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of C ...

. He succeeded to the

baronetcy A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

of Hanwell on the death of his father in 1638. His grandfather was Sir William Cope, 2nd Baronet of Hanwell. John Burke ''A General and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage Volume 1''"> John Burke ''A General and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage Volume 1''
/ref>

Hanwell Castle and Sir Anthony Cope

Hanwell Castle, located in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, was a significant site owned by the Cope family, who played an influential role in the region's history for centuries. The castle and its gardens became central to scientific and philosophical advancements during the 17th century under the stewardship of Sir Anthony Cope.

A Pioneer of Natural Philosophy

Sir Anthony Cope was a distinguished figure with a profound interest in natural philosophy. He graduated from the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

and transformed Hanwell Castle and Tangley Hall into centers of learning and innovation. His contributions were instrumental in fostering scientific thought during his time.

The Water Gardens at Hanwell Castle

One of Sir Anthony's achievements was the creation of an innovative water garden at Hanwell Castle. This ambitious project required expertise in multiple disciplines such as ecology, hydrology, chemistry, engineering, botany, zoology, landscape architecture, and physics. The gardens featured lakes, terraced walkways, and water-powered special effects that showcased his scientific interests and entertained like-minded individuals from Oxford's intellectual community.

Robert Plot's Description

Robert Plot Robert Plot (13 December 1640 – 30 April 1696) was an English naturalist and antiquarian who was the first professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford and the first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum. Early life and education Born in Bor ...

, author of ''Natural History of Oxfordshire'' (1677) and the first professor of chemistry at Oxford University, praised Hanwell Castle as the "New Atlantis." He described Sir Anthony Cope as a naturalist, artist, virtuoso, and an ingenious figure whose work embodied the ideals of progress in natural philosophy envisioned by

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626) was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England under King James I. Bacon argued for the importance of nat ...

Archeological Discoveries

Recent archaeological investigations have revealed extensive remains of Hanwell Castle's water gardens. These include terracotta garden urns, clay pipes, fountains, and other artifacts dating back to the 17th century. These findings underscore the site's historical importance as a hub for scientific experimentation and innovation. Dr. Stephen Wass's research ''Seventeenth-century Water Gardens and the Birth of Modern Scientific thought in Oxford: The Case of Hanwell Castle'' ''(2022)'' highlights Hanwell Castle's pivotal role in advancing modern scientific thought in Oxfordshire. The castle served as a meeting place for intellectuals who pursued practical applications of new ideas. Today, Hanwell Village is recognised as a birthplace of modern science in England, with Sir Anthony Cope's contributions celebrated as foundational yet historically overlooked.

The City of London

The Cope family's ownership of property near Wool Quay in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

led them to be involved in the rebuilding of the Customs House after the

Great Fire of 1666 The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Wednesday 5 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old London Wall, Roman city wall, while also extendi ...

. The site of the new building was considerably larger than that of its predecessor. Construction took place between 1668 and 1671, following a design by

Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was ac ...

, marking his first major project within the City of London. Evidence suggests a collaboration between Cope and Wren. Additional land was acquired for the expansion from Sir Anthony Cope. However, it is important to note that the new building did not, unlike its successor, extend northward to Thames Street. A significant strip of land was left on the north side, which was later occupied by two rebuilt taverns and a large warehouse owned by Sir Anthony Cope. Cope owned various quays, wharves, and warehouses in the City of London.

Member of Parliament

In 1660, Cope was elected Member of Parliament for

Banbury Banbury is an historic market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. The parish had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding ...

in the Convention Parliament.History of Parliament Online - Cope, Sir Anthony
/ref> In 1661 he was elected MP for

in the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

and sat until his death in 1675. In the same year, he was commissioned a captain in Viscount Falkland's Regiment of Foot, garrisoning

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

. The city was sold and the regiment disbanded in 1662.

Family

Cope married Mary Gerard, daughter of Dutton Gerard, 3rd Baron Gerard of Gerrard's Bromley. The couple had four children: three boys and one girl. Unfortunately, the boys passed away at a young age. Cope died at the age of 42. The baronetcy passed to his brother Sir John Cope, 5th Baronet of Hanwell.

References

1632 births 1675 deaths Natural philosophers Baronets in the Baronetage of England People from Oxfordshire (before 1974) People from Banbury English army officers English MPs 1660 English MPs 1661–1679 17th-century English military personnel {{1661-England-MP-stub