HISTORY

The history of Guys Cliffe dates as far back as the 5th Century, when Saint Dubricius founded an Oratory (small private chapel) which he dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. Eventually he would become the 1st Bishop of Warwick. Around the 10th Century is where we learn of the legendary Guy of Warwick, who fought in battles and lived out the rest of his life as a hermit in a cave here. It's believed that he died in what is now known as Guy's Cave, an area that we will be investigating on the night. It's from here that we get the name 'Guys Cliffe'.

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In 1158 AD, Roger Earl of Warwick gave the hermitage to Saint Sepulchre's Priory in Warwick, where secular priests from Warwick Castle served here. In June 1312, Piers Gaveston a 'favourite' to King Edward II was executed in Blacklow Hill a mere half a mile away from Guys Cliffe. It's rumoured that Piers was held at Guys Cliffe the day before his execution. Between 1327 and 1409, it was recorded that two men, Thomas de Lewis and John Burry, lived out their lives as hermits in Guy's Cave, following in the footsteps of Guy of Warwick. In 1420, Guys Cliffe was visited by King Henry V who wished for a chantry to be built here for two priests, which came to fruition in 1423 in service to St. Mary Magdalene. And in 1432 a cottage and another chapel was built on site.

At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, many holy buildings were demolished, ransacked and slighted under the orders of King Henry VIII, however the Guys Cliffe area was overlooked and left unharmed. The site was obtained by Sir Andrew Flammock in 1547, who knocked down the priest's cottage and replaced it with a substantial Tudor house granted by Royal License. The following 200 years saw numerous families seize and inherit the land here, up until 1751 where a big change was made.

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In the years leading up, Samuel Greatheed, a West Indian slave-owner and Member of Parliament for Coventry, had leased the site out until 1750 when he purchased the property and land. In 1751 Samuel made some big alterations to Guys Cliffe, replacing the Tudor house and other buildings no longer needed to create a stately Georgian home. His son Bertie later inherited the property and continued making additions and alterations in 1810 to create a picturesque view. By the early 19th Century, the Guys Cliffe estate comprised of a watermill, stables, a kitchen garden and land stretching as far as Blacklow Hill. Because of this, it was in 1821 that Bertie erected a large stone cross called 'Gaveston's Cross' to remember the horrific murder of Piers Gaveston. In fact, the inscription was so clear to read that Bertie noted in his diary that he could read it through a telescope from the top of Guys Cliffe.

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As the 20th Century came around, so did the struggles of the world being at war. In World War 1, Guys Cliffe became a hospital for injured civilians and soldiers, and in World War 2, the house became a school for evacuated children. By 1947, the estate was broken up into sections and sold on. The watermill, the stables and the kitchen garden all still exist today and are operated as a pub and restaurant, a riding school and a nursery respectively. The new owner of the house intended to convert it into a hotel, but these plans never came about and the house was left to go into disrepair. The chapel was later leased to the Freemasons who continue to utilise it to this day. English Heritage gave the ruined house Grade II listed status, and the cliff the house is built on was also granted protective status by the SSSI due to its geological interest.

 

GHOSTS & HAUNTINGS

Guys Cliffe House is renowned for its supernatural experiences and paranormal activity.