Few English estates can boast of an unbroken line of continuous family ownership for close to a thousand years, but Madresfield Court - a Grade I-listed manor house in Worcestershire - is one of them. It was once held by the de Bracy family for three centuries until the 15th century, then passed to the Lygons through the strategic marriage between Richard Lygon and Anne Beauchamp, one of three daughters and heirs of Richard Beauchamp, 2nd Baron Beauchamp, in the late 15th century.
The present building at Madresfield Court was rebuilt in 1593, replacing an earlier medieval structure, and has been the home of the Lygon family continuously since then. The family connection, unbroken since the 15th century, is a testament to the Lyons' ability to hold on to their treasure, with only the British royal family owning homes more tenaciously. The site of Madresfield Court has been occupied since Anglo-Saxon times, but the exact dates are not well documented.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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