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Recorded history at Copped Hall starts in the 12th century when there was already a substantial building on the site. At that time Copped Hall belonged to the Fitzaucher family who served the King as huntsmen.

In 1564 Queen Elizabeth I granted Copped Hall to her close friend - Sir Thomas Heneage. Almost immediately he started to rebuild the mansion – incorporating part of the old house in the south west corner. The building was complete by 1568 when Queen Elizabeth came to stay.

In 1739 Edward Conyers purchased the Elizabethan Copped Hall from Sir Thomas Webster who had owned it since 1701. Edward Conyers only enjoyed the house for three years before dying in 1742. Edward Conyers son, John, inherited the property and considered repairing it as it had become dilapidated.

However, John Conyers moved in cultural circles and wanted to express the latest architectural ideas of the day which were incompatible with living in the old house. Plans for a Palladian mansion were drawn up by his architect - John Sanderson. Assisting with these ideas were Sir Roger Newdigate and another architect – Thomas Prowse. Very grand proposals were produced, a main block with a vast dome, a portico and attached curved colonnades leading to symmetrical pavilions. In the end only the main block was built - on a different site to the Elizabethan mansion. It was completed by 1758. Fragments of the Elizabethan house were retained and a rock garden was created in part of the cellars.

During WW1, in 1917, the main eighteenth century block of Copped Hall was largely burnt-out in a disastrous fire one Sunday morning. Much of the contents were saved by many items were also lost. The family moved to Wood House on the estate which had been built by Ernest Wythes towards the end of the 19th century. The move was supposed to be temporary but in the end Mr Wythes never rebuilt Copped Hall.

The Friends of Copped Hall Trust was set up in 1998 to enable people who cared about Copped Hall to support the Trust and its objectives. Since then the Friends have made a substantial contribution to both the restoration process and also to fund raising.

Restoration is on-going and the house is used for educational purposes. The gardens have also undergone extensive restoration.

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