Boxwell Court
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| Boxwell Court | |
|---|---|
 Boxwell Court photographed from the Monarch's Way | |
| Location | Leighterton, Gloucestershire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°37′58.5″N 02°16′22″W / 51.632917°N 2.27278°W |
  Location in Gloucestershire | |
Boxwell Court is a country house near Leighterton in Gloucestershire, England, about 5 km or 3 miles east of Wotton-under-Edge, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is a Grade II* listed building.[1][2]
The house is thought to be the site of a former monastery, associated with Gloucester Abbey.[3] Nothing remains of the monastery or nunnery except a holy well.[4]
The estate was given to the Huntley family following Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. The House has been in the Huntley family continuously since that time; it is believed that the family have lived on the site for 600 years.[3] The estate is approximately 1,000 acres (4.0 km2), which although large in today's terms, is small compared to the size of the Huntleys' former Gloucestershire estates which included Woodchester and Frocester. The estate is known for its box wood, which used to provide a very large income to the Huntleys.[5]
The house has been frequented by royalty; Prince Rupert stayed in the house on several occasions.[6][7] There is a story that King Charles II, when fleeing from the Battle of Worcester, stayed on the estate and, in gratitude to the family, gave them his ring which remains in the family's possession.[6][8][9] The Monarch's Way which runs past the house is a 625-mile (1,006 km)[10] long-distance footpath that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651.[11]