Long before construction started in
1695, the land belonged to one of the
last Anglo-Saxon Kings. Edward the
Confessor exchanged this very land

in return for the land on which he
constructed Westminster Abbey.

Cowley Manor was once the pinnacle
of modern living, built by fine craftsmen
using traditional and local materials but
also with new inventions and designs.
It was the first private house in England
to use concrete, a innovation of the time.

It showcased a new form of country
entertaining, with grand rooms, and –
unusually – a major spa complex. There
were Roman, Greek, and Turkish steam
rooms, and a range of pools with water at
varying temperatures for different moods.

Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge
Dodgson) visited Cowley regularly,
staying with friends at what is now the
Old Rectory. Local history says Carroll
wrote his iconic Alice in Wonderland,
during his stays in the local village,
drawing his inspiration from
the grounds of Cowley Manor.