Hanwell Castle, Hanwell, Oxfordshire
The original house here was begun in c1498. It was for William Cope, cofferer to Henry VII. This house was mostly demolished in the 18th century. The tower is the oldest part remaining. James I visited here in 1605, 1612, and 1624. The noted Tudor writer John Leland records the castle as a very pleasant and gallant house in c.1540. It is also the earliest example of 15th brickwork in north Oxfordshire. Before this most large country houses, such as this, had been made of stone. Now, with increasing influence from Europe, brick was becoming more fashionable.
