Payecocke House - Coggeshall

Detroit City has declared itself bankrupt this morning,  Coggeshall town though was a rich town in the medieval period, all to do of course with wool.  Payecocke House built for a cloth merchant in the early 16th century.  It is probably one of the prettiest houses in England, lovingly detailed in brick and wood, carvings both inside and out.  Through the large gateway the waggons would have rolled, today just pretty glimpses of the garden, which we did not visit but will do when we return soon to walk down to the abbey. We walked all around the town in the hot sun and got exhausted in the end, though we could have done with the coffee served there, as the pub next door had closed down.

History is always preserved so lovingly by people, and the church St.Peter ad Vincula, was also splendiferous in the wealth that had been used to build it. There was a lady in the church vacuuming the droppings of the bats on the floor (protected are bats of course), her spaniel tied to a table and she filled us in on the damage in the war to the church.  The tower had been bombed in the war, and so a tiny squat lead dome sits where once it had been? not sure about that.   Interesting story, just opposite the church is a timbered pub,  plenty of charm but the blue plaque told a somewhat funny story, drunken vicar, surely not, see below.

the church

picniced here just behind the church

the pub opposite the church

A drinking vicar no less, drummed out of the service, love to know the story.