Manor House
About this location
Audio Transcript
This is the Manor House on Manor Road — a remarkable building with a history stretching back to the 14th century.
In the 17th century, it was home to John Bradshaw, an English judge who played a major role in one of the most dramatic moments in British history. Bradshaw served as President of the High Court of Justice during the trial of King Charles I, and was responsible for declaring the King guilty of treason in 1649.
Local legend adds an even more striking layer to the story. It is said that the death warrant of Charles I was signed here at the Manor House while Bradshaw was living in the building. His fellow Parliamentarian, Oliver Cromwell, also lived nearby at Ashley Park.
A few decades later, the house gained a darker reputation still when it was associated with Judge George Jeffreys, known for his severe sentences following the Monmouth Rebellion. His harsh judgments earned him a fearsome place in English legal history.
Because of these connections, the Manor House has sometimes been given the unsettling nickname “the Executioner’s House”.
Today, it stands as a rare surviving link to a turbulent chapter in England’s past — where power, politics and justice once shaped the course of history.
Further Information
Local legend has it that the death warrant of Charles I was actually signed at the Old Manor House, as Bradshaw – who, as President of the High Court of Justice, had declared Charles I ‘Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer, and a public enemy’ – was leasing the property at the time. Bradshaw’s fellow signatory on the warrant, Oliver Cromwell, lived in nearby Ashley Park.
