1000 years of stories.

Explore 1000 years of incredible stories by stepping inside their time machine!

Cogges is a thriving visitor attraction and working farm that hosts hundreds of modern events, festivals, seminars, and more, all set against the breathtaking background of our 13th century manor house and Grade II listed 18th century farm buildings. Enter Cogges’ amazing universe and discover a unique and fascinating glimpse of the past that is still alive today!

History –

Cogges is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and its history is intertwined with Witney’s and West Oxfordshire’s. It continues to play an important role in supporting the local society and economy as it has for centuries. Wadard, who was documented as Lord of the Manor of Cogges in the Domesday Book of 1086, is the earliest known owner of Cogges, dating back to the Saxon period. On the Bayeux Tapestry, Wadard is depicted as a Norman warrior riding a horse!

Filming –

The 2019 film Colette starring Keira Knightley, as well as ITV period dramas Downton Abbey and Arthur & George, have all used Cogges as a location. The house is home to a vast collection of antiques and has used as a backdrop for numerous feature films and television series. Our working Victorian range is known for decades of prepared Welsh cakes, original photographs from past owners, and a glimpse into life in Witney and Oxfordshire.

Cogges then and now –

Originally, the manor house was alongside the River Windrush. A moat and islands defended ‘Cogges Castle,’ which is now the site of the timber play fort and zip wire. Cogges property was originally owned by English kings Henry VII and Henry VIII, the latter of whom handed it to Thomas Pope, the founder of Trinity College Oxford. In the 17th century, wealthy wool merchant William Blake bought Cogges and rose to become High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. He was connected to the Witney wool trade and helped to fund Witney’s Buttercross and the nearby Blake School.

Weddings, concerts, theatre, and events are currently held in the two 18th century barns. They used to hold harvested wheat and barley for threshing; when both doors of the wheat barn are opened, a draught is formed, which used to blow the chaff away from the grain. Milkman Fred Turner and the Cook brothers used to transport fresh milk from Cogges to the local community, and he still utilised a hand cart on his rounds in the 1930s. The Mawle family lived in and owned the manor until 1968. Some of their photography and artwork can still be found on the second floor of the house!