Earlier Houses: Sir John Cope put together a house from buildings of the Priory after the Dissolution of the Monasteries; this house was later destroyed.

House & Family History: The current house may have been built on or near the site of the guest house of the earlier Priory. Parts of the Priory were turned into a home (now demolished) by the Cope family, which later married into the Dryden family. It was the Drydens who erected the current house of ironstone and brick in the mid-16th century. Sir John Dryden, who inherited in 1632, redid much of the House in the Jacobean style. Edward Dryden made major alterations, 1708-10. In the 19th century Sir Henry Dryden, a noted antiquary, rebuilt the East Side of the South Facade to match the 16th century East Facade. The interiors contain wall paintings and Jacobean plasterwork of the highest quality. The National Trust obtained the Estate with a large grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, 1981-82.

Garden & Outbuildings: The House is set in a 70- acre park with a formal garden, herbaceous borders, and an orchard featuring varieties of fruit trees from the 16th century.

Chapel & Church: There is a surprisingly grand church – all that remains of the Augustinian priory from which the house takes its name.

Country Life: XVI, 978, 1904. XLIX, 246, 278 plan, 306, 1921. CLXIX, 930, 1026, 1981.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Sir John Cope, 16th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Sir John Dryden, 2nd Bt., 17th century; Dryden family here from the 15th century until 1710.

Current Ownership Type: The National Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01327-861-900

Fax: 01327-861-909

Email: canonsashby@nationaltrust.org.uk

Website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Historic Houses Member: No