author
William Henry Cope
1811–1892
A clergyman, soldier, and country-house historian, he brought together firsthand experience and a strong antiquarian curiosity. He is best remembered for writing on the Rifle Brigade and for his detailed study of Bramshill House.
1 Audiobook
The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th
by William Henry Cope
About the author
Born in 1811, Sir William Henry Cope was the 12th Baronet Cope of Hanwell and led an unusually varied life. Sources describe him as a graduate of Trinity College Dublin who first served in the Rifle Brigade before taking holy orders in 1839. He later became known both as a clergyman and as a writer with a deep interest in history and architecture.
His best-known books include The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own), formerly the 95th and Bramshill: Its History and Architecture. Those works reflect the two sides of his career: military experience on one hand, and careful historical research on the other. Hampshire history sources also note his importance as a collector, especially for the publications about Hampshire that he left to the Hartley Institute in 1892.
Cope died in 1892. Even in a short list of Victorian authors, he stands out for the way his writing connects service, scholarship, and a lasting interest in England's historic places.