Wikipedia
Ockwells Manor is a timber-framed 15th century manor house in the civil parish of Cox Green, adjoining Maidenhead, in the English county of Berkshire. It was previously in the parish of Bray. [[ Aldin03a.jpg|thumb|
Ockwells Manor by Cecil Aldin]] Ockwells is an early example of a manor built without fortifications, which Sir Nikolaus Pevsner called "the most refined and the most sophisticated timber-framed mansion in England". It preserves a superb set of contemporary heraldic stained glass in the hall. Many of its bargeboards and other exterior timbers are run with rich mouldings and carved. Herringbone brickwork provides the infill.
The manor was originally given, in 1283, to Richard le Norreys, the chief cook to Queen Eleanor. It passed down through the Norreys family, ending up in the possession of Sir John Norreys, Keeper of the Wardrobe to Henry VI, who starting re-building the manor in 1446.
In the windows of the great hall, Sir John inserted beautiful stained glass, proudly showcasing his Lancastrian connections by displaying the arms of his friends at Court:
- the King
- the Queen
- the Duke of Warwick
- Duke of Somerset
- Duke of Suffolk
- Bishop of Salisbury
- James Butler, 1st Earl of Wiltshire
- Sir John Wenlock, Baron Wenlock
- Baron Mortimer of Chirk
- Sir William Laken
- Sir Richard Nanfan
- Sir John Langford
- John Purye
- Richard Bulstrode
- Abingdon Abbey
The Norreys family lived there until 1517. At that time, Sir John's great-grandson, also Sir John, had to surrender the estate in return for a pardon after having murdered a certain John Enhold of Nettlebed. Ockwells was then owned by Sir John's uncle, Sir Thomas Fettiplace. It passed through the Fettiplace family, before being owned by the Day family.
- either Eleanor of Castile or Eleanor of Provenceā©