III.—The Building of Theobalds, 1564–1585

Sir Willam Celcil bought the manor of Theobalds in 1564 and we are told that he did so in order to provide an estate for his younger son, Robert, who had been born probably in the previous year. There will have been other considerations and Cecil's choice of situation is interesting. Theobalds lies just off the main road from London to Ware, the road he would take on his journeys to and from his principal seat at Stamford. It lies, moreover, in a neighbourhood studded with royal houses–Enfield (3 m.), Hertford Castle (8 m.), Hatfield (9¼ m.), and Havering-at-Bower (10¾ m.). In addition, Cecil's old friend Sir Thomas Smith was established at Hill Hall, Theydon Mount (7½ m.), and his father-in-law, Anthony Cooke, at Gidea Hall (12 m.). Finally, at Gorhambury (15 m.), his brother-in-law Sir Nicholas Bacon had started building operations in March 1563. It may or may not have been chance that Sir Thomas Heneage obtained the reversion of Copthal 15(6 m.) and began building there in the same year that Cecil acquired Theobalds.