In Doomsday, Cotingstoche and Cortingstoche, and since Curtlingstoc, so named from some Saxon Owner Corting or Curtling, and Stoche which as Stow, signifies a 'Seat ' or 'Place'. In it were several Manors, whereof two Godric and Algar had before the Conquest, and for them paid to the Geld, as thirteen Bovats. The Land of them was but thirteen Bovats, and said to be in Cotingstoc and Rempeston. There afterwards Roger de Busli had two Sochm. on two Bovats of this Land, and three Vill. with one Plow or Car. One Car. of this Land was then waste; there was thirty Acres of Meadow; this in King Edward the Confessor's Time was 40 shillings. but then in King William's but  12 shillings. (No explanation of this devaluation is apparent).

The present Costock Manor was probably built in the sixteenth century but the site has a much longer history that can be traced back to the 13th century with lands and a substantial dwelling.  According to Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire: Volume 1: Republished with large additions by John Throsby, 1790, "The lordship contains 1100 acres of land, enclosed about the year 1760. A Mr. Woodroffe, an inhabitant, is a principal proprietor. Sir Thomas Parkyns, Bart. owns the high field farm, which lets at the low rate of £100. a year for 4000 acres. Sir Thomas is the lord of the manor. John Plumptre, Esq. owns that portion of the lordship which was formerly in the hands of the Hallowes."

The same volume tells us that "The village contains 33 dwellings, one of which is inhabited by the Rev. Mr. Beaumont. His house might be coveted by a Right Rev. it possesses neatness, convenience and enough of elegance to make it desirable; and its possessors are a courteous Lady and Gentleman. I speak from experience. The Church, which is dedicated to St. Giles, is barn roofed, one aisle, one bell, with a dove-house steeple. Daniel Roberts, rector, died in 1768, aged 59. Richard Barnard, rector, died in 1783, aged 63. John Basford died this year, 1790, at the advanced age of 94. In the chancel window are two heads, painted glass. And in the foundation of the church wall, without, lies (probably) part of a figure of the founder of the church."

"Patron of the living, Sir Thomas Parkyns, Bart. Incumbent the Rev. Mr. Beaumont, resident: supposed worth £150. per annum. A rectory. In Bacon £7 18s. 4d., tythes 15s. 10d.  Archiepisc. pro Syn. 4 shillings. Archidiac pro Prox. 6s. 8d., val. in mans. cum gleb. ibidem per ann. 16 shillings. Ann Parkyns, spinster, and Roby Sherwin presented in 1708. John Wiseman, Gent. in 1752. Sir Thomas Parkyns, Bart. in 1768 and in 1783.".  The earliest surviving parish register begins in 1588.  In the first five years there were 19 baptisms and 20 burials. In a recent five year period there were 37 baptisms and 18 burials and some of the old names survive to the present as part of a typical English village community. 

The sound condition of the manor house today is entirely due to the care and diligence of the present owner who has invested much into its renovation and preservation as a historic monument but also as a modern dwelling with great potential. Notice the changes compared to the old picture shown above. Previous inhabitants would have no difficulty recognising the building although they might be unfamiliar with the level of modern comfort it provides.

The grounds of Costock Manor provide a peaceful retreat for our guests and a safe haven for local wildlife.  Our resident pheasant is often seen strolling through what he considers to be his domain but he and what family he might have are likely to be refugees from local shooting.  He shares this domain with a very territorial green woodpecker who can often be seen and heard declaring his territory on the tree close to the drive entrance.  Notice the holes he made over the years. There are squirrels who regularly empty our planters looking for food and an occasional roaming fox is apt to call in on his way to wherever.  Bats and owls also thrive locally and are often seen.

The swimming pool is used during the summer as a drinking well by local swallows who take water on the wing and carry it back to the nest but early in 2010 it was adopted by a pair of mallards who established a nest in the courtyard. They refused to be put off by the daily comings and goings of people but unfortunately it meant neglecting the pool for a while.  As far as they were concerned, it was just another waterway with a margin of safety not normally available along the local rivers so we gave way to their tenacity and conceded defeat until their brood was safely reared. Of course we were then obliged to provide a means for tiny ducklings to climb out of the pool...

Living and working in a rural environment often involves such compromises and it is part of the reason why our guests enjoy the peace and tranquility we offer, although they might not realise it. Far from excluding wildlife and the inconvenience it sometimes brings, we are careful to encourage and nurture our natural environment and protect it for the benefit of our guests enjoyment.

Although the gardens are well tended there is always space for wild species and at various times of the year you might see Snowdrops, Aconites, Spanish bluebells, Cuckoo Pint, Wild Geraniums and various others. Not so wild are the fine autumn crocus that might seem uncharacteristically out of place so late in the year and from which the food colouring 'saffron' is obtained. Sadly, we were forced to remove the 800 year old, four-trunk tree that was once a feature of the manor drive because it had become unsafe and in its place is a less interesting illuminated raised bed which adds a touch of floral colour throughout the year.

On the approach to Manor Lodge we have an ancient yew tree and although we don't know its true age, it is fairly safe to propose that it is hundreds of years old, judging by the spread of its trunk.  All parts of the yew except the flesh of the berries are poisonous, especially to livestock, although it is rarely fatal to humans. The flesh of the berries provides a useful diuretic drug and the leaves contain a component that can permanently inhibit growth of some cancers. The oldest yew tree in England belongs to the East Midlands and can be found in St. Helen's church yard at Darley Dale in Derbyshire. It is reputed to be over 2000 years old and this is very likely to be true, knowing the nature and longevity of the tree.

At the west end of the manor house is a sundial and although for much of the year its time keeping is at best approximate and at worst invisible due to lack of sunshine, on midsummer's day at 1pm it shows the time with great accuracy.  At this time its shadow indicates 'true north' as opposed to 'magnetic north' so for anyone tempted to install a sundial in the garden, this is a reliable way to set it. Simply set a line through the pointer and 1pm on the dial then make sure this points to true north. However, most sundials are of purely novelty value since to be reasonably accurate, their angle of inclination must be set to correspond with their global latitude and which very few are - this one included...

Late summer and autumn is surely a season of mellow fruitfulness at Costock Manor and it is often a race between the gardener and everyone else to catch the plums as they ripen. Our apple trees are particularly abundant and provide a fine crop of fruit that invariably exceeds our requirements. However, kept dry in a cool dark place wrapped in paper, apples keep well for months and are still perfectly edible the following Spring, even if used only to make apple sauce.

Much of the appeal of Costock Manor is that it is comfortable and interesting at any season. The gardens are particularly interesting with unexpected corners and vistas that change in response to the lighting and time of day. A healthy mix of management and neglect in the right measure has given the grounds a natural look and a feel of a 'secret' garden, being almost entirely enclosed within a high wall. To add interest are odd stautues and old farm implements abandoned here and there, redundant perhaps but cherished as a reminder of our heritage which is firmly rooted in local agriculture.

There is so much more to Costock Manor and the area that lies within easy reach but you should discoverit foryourself.  What we can promise is that we will do everything we can to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. The rest is up to you and we look forward to making you welcome.