| The
Paycocke Family |
|
|
The Paycocke merchant's
mark
|
|
Primarily due to the legacy of their fine timber-framed house in West
Street, the Paycocke family has come to be regarded as Coggeshall’s premier wool
and cloth merchants of the medieval days when the town was important in
the wool trade. |
|
In the early part of the 14th century the Paycockes were already
a family of some substance in Clare, Suffolk, long before the first Paycocke
came to Coggeshall in the mid-15th century. This was Thomas, who
died here in 1461, and a tombstone, now lost, commemorating his death read:
“quondam carnifex de Coggeshall” (lately butcher of Coggeshall). |
|
His son or grandson (it is not known which) was John, the builder of the
famous house, also described as a butcher (or “bowchar”) in his will of
1505. It is probable that they were both the wealthy type of grazier
butchers who were beginning to own large sheep farms in the 15th
century, and it is known for certain that the Paycockes owned a large field
in Church Street. This would give the family the connection to the wool and
cloth trade, as John’s sons John, Robert and Thomas officially called
themselves clothiers. |
|
The whole family must have been extremely wealthy judging by the scale and
opulence of the properties they all owned. John Paycocke the father, had
commissioned the house in West Street to be built as a present for his
youngest son Thomas, while living himself at “Braziers” on the site now
occupied by the Mount in East Street. This he left to his second son, Robert. In addition
to this house he also owned another large house in Church Street, probably
“Hutley’s” which he left to his widow. |
|
|
|
Paycocke's, with
the Fleece (formerly Drapers) just beyond it. |
|
|
|
Future generations lived variously at these
premises as well as at “Maykines”, now the White Hart, and “Drapers”, now
the Fleece. Even the Paycocke women married men of affluence and property.
Judith married Richard Constantyne and lived in the house called
“Constantynes” on the corner of Market Hill, while Anne
married Richard Benyon who was responsible for building and living in the
present Abbey farmhouse (c1581). |
|
Apart from the Thomas Paycocke who was the first owner of the house, there
is another Thomas worthy of mention. When he died in 1580 he left provision
in his will for the relief of the poor of Coggeshall and his charity still
exists to this day. He lived at “Drapers” but moved just before his death to
“Belles and Bruers” a house in The Gravel that stood roughly on the site of
Culvert Close. |
|
The Paycockes, especially, always had close links with the parish church
which was built in such grand fashion purely because of the wealth and
prosperity of the town's wool merchants. It is thought that the family were
solely responsible for St Katharine’s Chapel in the north aisle of the
chancel and indeed tombs for four of the family can be seen in the floor of
this chapel, some with their attendant brasses. |
|
 |
Left: Thomas
Paycocke, the last male of the family who founded the Charity. Died
on 26th December 1580.
|
| |
|
Right: John
Paycocke, died April 2nd 1533, and his wife Joan.
|
|
|
|
|
When John, the last surviving male and owner of Paycocke house, died in
1580, it brought to a close the Paycocke link with Coggeshall. The house
then passed to the Buxton family, one of whom, Robert, had married an Emma
Paycocke some years previously. The Buxtons are featured on another page. |
|
Back to
Heroes page |