APPENDIX II 



THE ARCHITECTS OF COLESHILL, BERKSHIRE 



FURTHER interesting information regarding Sir Roger Pratt's 

 connection with Coleshill has been supplied by the kindness of 

 Mr Pratt of Ryston, and the Hon. Mrs Pleydell Bouverie of 

 Coleshill. It is derived in part from Sir Roger Pratt's note- 

 books, and in part from a diary of Sir Mark Pleydell (1692-1768), 

 preserved in the muniment room at Coleshill. 



The estate of Coleshill was bought from the Pleydells by Sir 

 Henry Pratt, a grandson through a junior branch of William 

 Pratt, who was Lord of the Manor of Ryston in 1628. Sir 

 Roger Pratt was great-grandson of the same William through 

 the senior branch. The estate returned to the family of Pleydell 

 in 1699, by the marriage of a Pleydell with the heiress of the 

 Pratts of Coleshill. 



Sir Henry Pratt died on 6th April 1647, and the old house 

 at Coleshill which he had bought was burnt down later in the 

 same year, shortly after the marriage of his son, Sir George. 

 The present house was begun in 1650, according to the tablet 

 still preserved therein. Of this Sir Mark Pleydell says in his 

 diary that Sir Roger Pratt of Ryston in Norfolk, knight, cousin 

 to Sir George, was the architect in friendship to him. He also 

 observes that " Mr Mildmay apprehended it was built by Inigo- 

 Jones, and Lord Barrington says it was built by one Webb, a 

 disciple of the said Inigo." 



In the same diary it is stated that before the existing house 

 was commenced Sir George Pratt began to build a new seat in 

 " the present cucumber garden," which he raised to one story, 

 when Pratt and Jones arriving, caused it to be pulled down and 

 rebuilt where it now stands. Sir Mark adds that Pratt and 

 Jones were frequently here, and Jones was also consulted about 

 the ceilings. "John Buffin, who often saw them both, frequently 

 declared this to Wm. Pepal, who came to Coleshill in 1700, and 

 carried him to the spot in ye cucumber garden. We found ye 

 remains of ye walls in ye cucumber garden ye loth February 



1746." 



It is interesting to find that Jones, Webb, and Pratt were all 



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