Littlecote House Hotel History

Littlecote House is a superb 16th Century mansion with a story that spans literally thousands of years. In its various guises the property has played host to occupying Romans, a Tudor tryst and a Civil War army. Within the grounds lie a beautiful Roman mosaic and the remains of what was clearly a substantial settlement, including the Orphic Hall and a once-opulent Roman villa.

Moving forward in time to the Middle Ages, and the raising of the first Littlecote House in the 14th Century by the de Calstone family, whose descendant Sir George Darrell expanded the mansion early in the 1500s. As Sir George’s guest in 1520, King Henry VIII was introduced to his third queen-to be Jane Seymour, an event marked by the wonderful stained-glass roundel of royal initials, lovers’ knot and Cupid’s head you’ll see in the high window of the Great Hall.

Then on in history to the Civil War. Three years before Sir John Popham inherited Littlecote in 1590, he was busy sentencing Mary, Queen of Scots for treason (a few years later Sir John went on to pay Sir Walter Raleigh and Guy Fawkes the same courtesy). From the same period date the Cromwellian Guardroom and, remodelled from a hall believed medieval in origin, England’s last remaining Cromwellian Chapel in a private house. Despite his wartime roundhead leanings, Colonel Popham would become instrumental in restoring Charles II to the throne, for which loyalty he received a Royal Pardon. After entertaining the King to a ‘costly dinner’ at Littlecote in 1663, the Colonel enjoyed a royal patronage that would secure the Popham family fortunes at Littlecote for another 266 years.

Add to this the Jerusalem Stairs and the Dutch Parlour, the secret passage behind the library bookcase and the rooms where the D-Day landings were planned and you have an extensive afternoon of history on your hands.