Cockglode, Newark.

 

Cockglode Wood was an ancient woodland which became a part of the Royal Hunting Forest of Sherwood. The Ranger’s Lodge for the officer responsible for monitoring Birkland and Bilhaugh woods probably stood here. In 1818 Cockglode became the property of the 4th Duke of Portland in an exchange of properties with the Crown. The Duke gave the Crown a wealthy residential area to the west of London, including the responsibility of St. Mary-le-bone church, and was given Cockglode in return. However, not long after that the Duke exchanged Cockglode with the 2nd Earl Manvers for properties at Cuckney and Holbeck Woodhouse, closer to his own ducal seat at Welbeck. In that way Cockglode became part of Thoresby Estate.

In 1776 The Duke of Portland granted lease of Cockglode to George Aldrich MD. As the Duke didn’t actually own the site at that point one assumes he was acting on behalf of the Crown and responsible for managing it. George Aldrich is credited as having the “elegant house” built, and landscaping the surrounding woodland visible to the house which stood on a rise.

Above: Cockglode Hall and Cockglode House. The latter looks like a possible extension of the former.

Dr George Aldrich lived here until 1797. It then became the residence of Sir Robert Shore Milnes, who died in 1837. The next tenant was the Hon. Savile Henry Lumley, a son of Richard, 4th Earl of Scarborough. Colonel Lumley died in 1846, and was buried at Edwinstowe. His widow remained tenant of Cockglode until her death in 1869.

The house then passed to Cecil George Savile Foljambe Esq., M.P. for North Nottinghamshire at the time. Foljambe pursued a successful political career, eventually becoming Earl of Liverpool, and lived at Cockglode for twenty eight years until 1897. In the late 1930s the much celebrated Lady Mauve Hoare took up residence in Cockglode House.

Above: Early 20th century postcard showing "Breakheart Hill" and "Entrance to Cockglode, Ollerton".

During the post-war years of 1946 / 1949, Cockglode House was divided into eight flats, and my newlywed father and mother rented rooms therein. There were two flats each side of the central front door, the other four were upstairs, accessed by the stone staircase. Each flat typically comprised two bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen, and pantry. The bathroom was shared. The rent was collected by Miss Freeman who came over from an office on Fourth Avenue, Edwinstowe. (That office was sited where currently stands P G Lock the Butchers, and displays the date 1933 in its brickwork). Cockglode resident Mavis Craig took over the rent collection chores in return for free rent. The pictures below show her first child in the deteriorating grounds of Cockglode.

Above: The now much neglected garden at Cockglode House c.1948/49, showing the road at the rear. The woman standing is Enid Rogers, holding Janice. The child on the floor and in the photos below, is Christine Craig.

 

As the 1940s came to an end, and Thoresby Colliery drew ever closer, Cocklglode’s better days were far behind it. The above photographs reveal little, but it is said the rhododendrons which persist in the woods to this day originate from Cockglode's gardens. The spoils from Thoresby Colliery have long since covered the ruins of Cockglode House. However, in 1998, trees were planted across the restored tip of Thoresby Colliery in celebration of the Millennium. This was carried out by a group of local Rotary Clubs, hence the new name of Rotary Wood.

Above: Entrance to and view from "Cockglode and Rotary Woods", 2013.