| Ebrington Manor | |
| Coordinates: | 52.0575°N -1.7338°W |
| Location: | Ebrington, Gloucestershire, England |
Ebrington Manor is a grade II listed[1] manor house in the parish of Ebrington in Gloucestershire, England. Since 1476 it has been a seat of the Fortescue family, since 1789 Earls Fortescue.
It is located within the village of Ebrington in Gloucestershire,[2] immediately to the south-west of the parish church of Ebrington.
The house dates back to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, and was significantly altered twice, in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries.[3] [4] It was built on land purchased by Sir John Fortescue (c.1394-1479), who was Chief Justice of the King's Bench.[3]
An heraldic cartouche above the entrance door displays the arms of Fortescue impaling Aylmer, representing Hugh Fortescue (1665–1719), and his second wife Lucy Aylmer, whom he married after 1708, a daughter of Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer (circa 1650–1720), grandparents of Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue (1753-1841).[5]
During World War II the house was run by the American Red Cross for rest and recuperation for United States Army Air Forces bomber crews.[6] In 1970 the house was the location of an attempted murder and arson.[7]
The current Earl has three daughters and no sons. Therefore the family has been involved in a campaign to change inheritance laws.[8]
It was listed as a grade II building by English Heritage on 25 August 1960.[2] [3]
The limestone building has grey slate roofs and a central five flue chimney. The main body of the house includes a 17th centy hall and balustraded gallery. There is extensive plasterwork throughout the house, some of which was moved from a summerhouse in the grounds.[1] The main entrance gate piers and the summer-house in the grounds are both grade II* listed buildings. The garden was laid out in the 1940s.[4]