Earlier Houses: There was an earlier 1580s red brick house on the site, elements of which were incorporated into the current house.

Built / Designed For: James Sargent, MP

House & Family History: Garton Orme (1696-1758), who was seated at Lavington, was forced to sell half of the Estate to pay huge debts.

Collections: One of the finest collections of sporting paintings in the world (and certainly the finest in Europe), the Woolavington Collection at Cottesbrooke was begun by Sir James Buchanan (later 1st Lord Woolavington). The collection includes works by Ben Marshall, Sir John Frederick Herring Sr., Sir Alfred Munnings, John Ferneley Sr., and George Stubbs. The collection was formed principally at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries and was originally housed at Lavington Park. It moved to Cottesbrooke when Lord Woolavington's descendants, the Macdonald-Buchanan family, came to live at Cottesbrooke in the 1930s. Other artists included in the collection are Lionel Edwards, de Laszlo, and Zoffany. "Portrait of Garton Orme at the Spinet," circa 1709, by Jonathan Richardson, formerly at Lavington, is today in the collection of the Holburne Museum of Art, Bath.

Garden & Outbuildings: The grounds were planted and laid out between the 16th century and the early 20th centuries.

Country Life: LVIII, 130 plan, 135 [Pictures], 1925. LIX, 949 [Pictures], 1926.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade II

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Giles Garton, 16th century; Garton Orme, until 1758. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: James Sargent, MP, 18th century. Samuel Wilberforce, 1845-73. James Buchanan, 1st Baron Woolavington, 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: School

Primary Current Ownership Use: School

Ownership Details: Today Seaford College

House Open to Public: No

Phone: 01798-867-392

Fax: 01798-867-606

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.seaford.org

Historic Houses Member: No