Coton House

Coton House is a late 18th century country house at Churchover, near Rugby, Warwickshire which is now in use as a corporate commercial training centre. It is a Grade II* listed building.

The Manor of Coton was held before the Dissolution of the Monasteries by the monks of Coombe Abbey. In 1551 the estate was sold to the Dixwell family and a moated manor house was built on the monastic remains. On the death of Sir William Dixwell in 1757 the estate passed to his nephew William Dixwell Grimes whose son Abraham Grimes in 1787 replaced the old manor house with the present house built to designs by architect Samuel Wyatt.

The two storey sandstone house has an interesting entrance front the central three bays being bowed to full height.

In 1874 the estate, then 10,000 acres (40 km2), was sold to Francis Arkwright. Much of the land was sold off and in 1881 the house was let out to John Arthur James. It was purchased by his widow in 1936 but following her death it was converted in 1948 for use as a corporate training centre and staff hostel. From 1948 to 1968, Coton House served as a hostel for apprentices and students employed by a nearby Rugby industrial company (initially BTH which was part of the AEI group, and which was taken over by GEC in 1967).

Just after 7.30 am on Tuesday 22 June 2010 a fire broke out in the first floor and roofspace of Mansion House at Coton House and burnt it out. The smoke could be seen for miles away. More than 50 firemen arrived to fight the fire.More news