Paycocke House Coggeshall.

Paycocke house is situated in the village of Coggeshall Essex.  The house itself has beautiful carvings and is a fine example of the wool trade wealth. 

The house was built around 1500 by the Paycocke family.  Coggeshall was becoming wealthy with the wool trade and so were the Paycocke's.  According to the Coggeshall museum, originally from Clare in Suffolk the Paycocke came to Coggeshall.  The museum quotes the head stone of Thomas Paycocke 1461,  saying  'quondam carnifex de Coggeshall' translated by the museum as lately butcher of Coggeshall.  However, other translations suggest a more sinister translation or 'Carnifex' meaning torturer or executioner.  If he had been a butcher the translation would have been 'lanius' or 'porcinarius'.

So according to records, Thomas Paycocke executioner came to Coggeshall and died in 1461.  After him John Paycocke a direct descendent either son or grandson took up the centre stage and was recorded in his 1505 will as a butcher (Bowchar).

With records showing that the Paycocke's ownship of a large field in Church street, it can be assumed that they farmed the sheep that made their wealth in the wool and clothier trade.  With records classing the following generation John, Robert and Thomas as clothiers the wool trade was certainly contributing to their coffers.  The commissioning of Paycocke house was undoubtedly a show of wealth, power and a working environment.  The large oak doors enabling wagons to pass into the rear of the house with their wool. 

The properties own by the Paycocke family clearly demonstrated their wealth,  John Paycocke lived in the 'Braziers' which is now occupied by the 'Mount' in East Street, another house in Church Street, other properties owned by the family included the 'Drapier' now the Fleece, the 'Maykines' which is now the White Hart.  Further connections were with the Coggeshall Abbey farm 1581 which was connected through Anne Paycocke and Richard Benyon.  Judith Paycocke and Richard Constantyne resided in the property 'Constantynes' which is at the corner of Market Hill.   

(Information based upon Coggeshall Museum research)