Nailsea Court

The exact date of construction is not known, but is believed to have started in the 15th century and was definitely before 1574, when the initials of the owner George Perceval, the father of Richard Percivale, were added to the chimney piece in the library. One of his descendants Richard Percivale (or Perceval) contributed to the English response to the plans for invasion by the Spanish Armada by deciphering Spanish documents for Queen Elizabeth. He employed Arthur James Stratton, an expert on Tudor architecture to reconstruct the west wing. before being returned by Charles Evans to Upper Langford in 1923. The rebuilding included the erection of a tower. The first version looked similar to a lighthouse and was changed to one of Tudor appearance which was incorporated into the south wing. ==Architecture==

The building consists of a main three storey block with two wings with gabled roofs in a Z-plan. The porch has a 4-centred arched door opening and a frieze with Greek fret carving. a fine plaster ceiling and carved frieze were brought to Nailsea Court from Ashley Manor in Bristol. The dining room door, which dates from around 1590, is also known as the "Nailsea door". It is decorated with a large arcaded and elaborately carved upper panel. In the hall there is a framed ceiling, this is formed into six bays each of which has chamfered and stopped beams. There is also a stone fireplace in the hall. ==Gardens==

The House is surrounded by of gardens and approached by a tree-lined drive of mature sweet chestnut, walnut and cherry trees. There is a walled sunken garden and kitchen garden has raised vegetable beds, a glass-house and box knot garden. Many of the walls, gatepiers and the balustrade are from the 16th century but have been revised in the subsequent centuries. The old tennis court has been converted to a formal lawn with herbaceous borders. There is also a stone summerhouse which is early Jacobean. A remodelled 17th century barn stands about east of the house. ==See also==