Toddington Park
Grade II listed Georgian manor house set in 30 acres
About
One of Britain’s Histotic Houses, Toddington Park is a family home nestled within the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside, a short drive from Woburn Abbey.
Park House sits at the heart of the estate. Built in 1826 this grade II listed Georgian manor house provides the perfect backdrop to any event. The surrounding formal lawns, meadow, lake and arboretum create an idyllic - and unique - venue space suitable for weddings, personal and corporate events or a weekend break.
The converted Coach House, now a three bedroom holiday home, was built in 1884 as stabling for ten horses and garage space for two carriages.
Location
We are close to two market towns - Woburn and Ampthill - both with an array of independent shops and restaurants. Our favourite eateries include the Michelin recommended Paris House within the deer park at Woburn and Masterchef finalist Steve Barringer’s Eileens in Ampthill.
We also have Woburn Safari Park and Aqua Sana Spa on our doorstep, as are the National Trust sites at Dunstable Downs and Ashridge.
We are five minutes from the M1 motorway and 10 minutes from Harlington Station with trains every twenty minutes into London taking just 40 minutes. Luton Airport can be accessed within a 15 minute drive.
History
Thomas Cheney (previously of Chenies Manor) used his inheritenance to build Toddington Manor in 1560, a grand manor house set in over 2000 acres, which was later purchased by John Cooper in 1808 (though he never lived there).
His son, William Dodge Cooper Cooper inherited the Manor in 1824 but it was in no state to live in, and so they built Park House (named after their London familty home, and known in Toddington simply as The Park).
By 1851 members of the family were living at both Toddington Manor and Park House, with Elizabeth and William Dodge Cooper Cooper at the Manor House and their son William Cooper Cooper here at Park House.
After William's death in 1860, his son William Cooper Cooper moved back to the manor leaving their son William Smith Cowper Cooper at the Park. You can see the inscription of WSCC 1885 on the loft of the Coach House which sits behind the main house. This originally had 5 loose boxes, 5 stalls with loft over, two double fronted coach houses, fire engine house and a granary.
At this time a Victorian model dairy with stained glass windows and glazed bricks was also built in the grounds.
In 1898 the house was leased by Robert Standish Sievier (a journalist and race horse owner) by which he could use the grounds to entertain his friends. He commission the groundsman of Lords to build him a cricket pitch and the M.C.C. led by W.G. Grace visited to play Sieviers XI.
After sitting empty from 1905 to 1907, it was sold to Colonel Mercer (of Moggerhanger Park).
It was requisitioned as a base for the Women's Land Army in 1939 before falling back in to private ownership in 1962. During the 60's the house was extended to the north, encompassing a workers cottage to create a square with an inner courtyard, as well as creating a summer house and pool (now derelict). During this period the house was greatly refurbished, with significant efforts made on the grounds; including digging the lake and planting of the arboretum.
