Iscoyd Park, nr Wrexham

Family home dating back to 1737. Bought by Philip Lake Godsal in 1843. Son, Philip William, was a leading agriculturist. His son, Philip Thomas, invented the Godsal rifle. The park used as a hospital and POW camp in World War II, and as a Polish hospital from 1945 – 1956. Now run by Philip Langley Godsal and wife, Susie. Undergone much refurbishment. 

Iscoyd Park has a rich and varied history with a string of colourful owners over the centuries. The house, as seen today, dates back to 1737. However, parts date back to 1630 and there was an “ancient mansion house” on the site from medieval times. William Hanmer, who had married the Jennens heiress of Gopsal, Leicestershire, built the front part of the house in 1737. It was then sold to Rev Richard Congreve in 1780.

Philip Lake Godsal, who was the son of the leading coachmaker of the time (also named Philip Godsal), bought the house in 1843. The Godsal family has been at Iscoyd Park more or less ever since. P.L. Godsal added the portico and the dining room and Philip William Godsal, his son, was responsible for the bow to the drawing room in 1876 and the curious looking water tower at the back of the house to accommodate bathrooms and WCs. P.W. Godsal was an improving agriculturalist and rural philanthropist who believed that the labourers who worked for his farm tenants should have the opportunity to farm their own smallholdings. Philip Thomas was next. He was an outstanding shot and a founder member of the English Eight Club in 1878. His inventions included the Godsal Rifle, which was nearly adopted by the British Army instead of the Lee-Enfield.

In the Second World War, the park at Iscoyd was requisitioned for use as a 1,500-bed hospital for United States Forces with a prisoner-of-war camp in the enclosure. As Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd wrote, ‘The beautiful parkland was obliterated by an Orwellian nightmare of Nissen Huts, barbed wire and control towers.’ The Americans then handed it over and immediately after the war it become a camp and hospital for Polish refugees.

Colonel Philip Godsal returned to the house in 1946 but because of the continuing presence of the camp lived in a flat on the first floor in the library wing. It was not until 1957 that the park was finally given back to the family. In 1964, Philip H. Godsal moved to Iscoyd and restored the Georgian façade. He died in 1982 and two years later his son, Philip Caulfeild Godsal, moved in. A land agent, Philip Caulfeild gradually set about restoring all the outbuildings, re-roofing the main part of the house and ridding it of deathwatch beetle.

The latest in the Godsal dynasty to occupy Iscoyd, Philip Langley and his wife Susie, have taken on the job of renewing various parts of the fabric of the house and the bulk of this huge restoration project was completed in 2010.

Tickets £23.50 including tea, coffee or soft drinks and cakes

Visitors' views:

• We visit a lot of Historic Houses properties and go on Invitation to View tours and this has to be up there with the very best. We were escorted around by Philip Godsal Senior, father of the Philip who currently runs the estate, and were impressed with his knowledge, charm and sense of humour. He treated us all like friends and gave us a real insight into the ups and downs of running an historic property and bringing it into the twenty-first century with commercial management that enables its upkeep. What a lovely house, how tastefully it has been furnished, how beautiful the gardens. Lovely tea and home-made delicacies to end. Driving back through the beautiful countryside we couldn't have had a more relaxing or interesting afternoon.
  
• Excellent tour given by Philip Goddard. It was amazing the work put into this house outbuilding and gardens since 2009. I was so impressed by the attention to detail and our very informative guide. So lovely to be hosted by one of the family who was so enthusiastic.
• Just to say how much we enjoyed our tour of the house and gardens this morning. We learnt lots of interesting things. We do hope you get lots of other people visiting.

Please see our cancellation policy below:
If you cancel more than two weeks before the tour is scheduled to take place, we will fully refund your ticket money excluding any phone booking fees. If it’s less than 14 days before a tour, for any reason, we regret that we cannot refund your ticket money unless we can resell your ticket(s). If we cancel at any time, we will fully refund your ticket money. Although we make every effort to avoid it, sometimes a tour has to be cancelled at short notice due to circumstances beyond our control. In this case, we cannot accept responsibility for, or refund, any consequential losses, such as money spent on travel or accommodation.