A History of The Park

The Park is situated in the Tracy Park Estate, which is one of the most beautiful country estates in the Bristol and Bath area. The Park, mentioned in the Domesday Book, extends to 240 acres and derives its name from John de Tracye, who purchased the estate in 1246 from Thomas of Deinton. The manor remained in the Tracey family for 300 years before being sold in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to Arthur Player. He was a bailiff for Sir William Wintor, Lord of Dyrham, who was a keen contender for commercial advantage during the re-building for the British fleet, which was to set sail and defeat the Spanish Armada in 1586. Many long days and nights were spent in what is now The Manor Room, negotiating with rich land owners and members of the nobility to raise enough money in order that the British fleet was up to full strength.

The Park adjoins Freezing Hill, which in July 1643 became the site of one of the bloodiest battles on British soil, the Battle of Lansdown. Spilling over what are now the fairways of The Park's Cromwell Course, Charles I's Royalists and Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians fought for king and country and God and parliament respectively. The king dispatched additional troops to his commander, Sir Ralph Hopton, bolstering his forces to 4000 foot, 2000 horses and 300 dragoons.

By comparison, Major General Sir William Waller for the Parliamentarians was seriously lacking in infantry, having little more than 1500 foot and 2500 horses. The Battle of Lansdown, although inconclusive, inflicted severe casualties on the Royalists, and although they eventually overwhelmed Waller's position, the victory came with sadness as Sir Bevil Grenville was killed in the thick of the fighting.

After the Civil War, Tracy Park changed hands a number of times but always remained the property of merchants in Bristol until finally Robert Bush left the house to his nephew in 1798. The present appearance of the house is largely as created by Robert Bush Junior in 1808, although later extensions exist to the back of the manor. On 3rd October 1820, Bush sold the house to Sir William Gabriel Davy, Knight Commander for the Guelphic Order of Hanover. The manor remained the property of this family until the early 20th century when William James Davy, grandson of Sir William, was killed in action in France. Sir William's great-granddaughter Helen then sold the house in March 1926 to Charles Samuel Clarke. The Clarke family lived in the house until 1973 when it was purchased at auction and then developed into a hotel and golf course, which it has remained to this day.