Charmed by Cottesbrooke
By Laura Malpas
This month I’m taking the rare opportunity to visit one of Northamptonshire’s loveliest estates. It’s a rare treat as it opens to the public for a few days a week over summer months only, but it’s so worth a visit. You can expect glorious gardens and parkland, and a grand house that manages to feel inviting and cosy despite its grandeur. In the words of my guide, ‘this house feels like a hug’.
The ancient village of Cottesbrooke is set in the heart of rural Northamptonshire. It’s quite central to the county, halfway between Northampton and Market Harborough.
The Cottesbrooke estate was purchased in 1635 by a wealthy gentleman from Cold Ashby, John Langham. John’s background was humble, but he had ambition. After his father died, John argued with his widowed mother and left home for London on foot, vowing never to return until he had made his fortune.
John apprenticed himself to a ‘Turkey Merchant’, learning how to trade in the Eastern Mediterranean. He quickly gained the trust of his master, acting as a merchant buying and selling on commission. His success enabled him to build up capital to trade on his own account, and coupled with his wife’s dowry, he attempted to pull off an extremely smart deal to make his fortune.
Raisins were an affordable luxury in the 17th century, as a source of sweetness, and always highly in demand. John decided to buy up as many as he could and acquired half of the consignment destined for the English market. But tragedy struck! The ships importing his stock were lost at sea, along with the fruit and most of his fortune. Undefeated by his loss, John managed to get back to London before the news broke, and as the other half of the raisin stocks arrived into port at Chatham, he purchased them all. He now had a monopoly which enabled him to clear a fortune of £30,000.
With this success, John and his wife finally returned home and purchased large estates in Northamptonshire including Cottesbrooke. John’s future seemed secure, his fortune and quick wits had bought him respect within the City of London, becoming an alderman and Sheriff of London.
But as a Royalist supporter his life became considerably more complicated during the civil wars. John sent funds and offered support to the exiled king, both risky political moves, and he was committed twice to the Tower of London. However, in 1660 the newly restored King Charles II rewarded his loyalty to the Crown by creating the Baronetcy of Cottesbrooke, making him Sir John Langham, and securing his family’s fortunes.
The story of Cottesbrooke Hall really begins in 1702 with the 4th Baronet, also named Sir John Langham. He decided to build a grand country house on his Cottesbrooke estate, choosing Francis Smith of Warwick, known for his scrupulous honesty and competence, to design and construct a fashionable residence in the style of Buckingham House in London.
