Coombe Abbey

Coombe Abbey stands in the countryside of Warwickshire, near the village of Combe Fields. It began as a Cistercian monastery in the 12th century, founded by monks sent by Richard de Camville. The abbey grew into the largest and most influential in Warwickshire, owning land across many counties. By the 15th century it was known for its generosity, distributing food and money to the poor each Maundy Thursday. After the Dissolution under Henry VIII in 1539, the abbey became a private house and has since been altered many times. Parts of the original 12th-century structure remain, including sections of the cloister and chapter house. The abbey’s history includes a dramatic royal connection. In 1603, King James I sent his nine-year-old daughter Princess Elizabeth to live there under the care of Sir John Harington. Five years later, the Gunpowder Plotters planned to kidnap her and place her on the throne as a puppet queen. Alerted in time, Harington moved Elizabeth to Coventry, and the plotters found the house empty when they arrived. The Craven family later owned the estate for three centuries, adding wings and gardens. Capability Brown reshaped the landscape in the 18th century, creating Coombe Pool, a serpentine lake covering 90 acres. Today the abbey operates as a hotel, while the surrounding grounds form Coombe Country Park. Visitors walk past remnants of the medieval cloister and chapter house, still visible in the present building. The park includes Brown’s lake, winding paths and the restored boathouse. Woodland and meadows surround the estate, offering views across the water. The park opened to the public in 1966 and has since hosted filming for movies and TV. The mix of ancient stone and landscaped scenery makes it a place where history and nature meet.