Croome Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Croome Court |
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The southern facade of Croome Court
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| General information | |
| Type | Country house |
| Architectural style | Neo-Palladian |
| Town or city | Croome D'Abitot, Worcestershire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°05′59″N 2°10′10″W / 52.0996°N 2.1694°W |
| Construction started | 1754 |
| Completed | 1760 |
| Client | George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry |
| Owner | Croome Heritage Trust |
| Management | National Trust |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Lancelot "Capability" Brown |
Croome Court is a grand country house built in the mid-1700s. It's located in Croome D'Abitot, near Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire, England. This amazing house is surrounded by huge, beautiful parkland.
Both the house and the park were designed by a famous landscape architect named Lancelot "Capability" Brown. This was one of his first big projects! Some of the rooms inside were designed by another well-known architect, Robert Adam. A church, St Mary Magdalene's Church, Croome D'Abitot, is also on the grounds and is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust.
Today, Croome Court is owned by the Croome Heritage Trust. It's managed by the National Trust and is open for visitors to explore. The National Trust also owns the parkland, which you can visit too.
Where is Croome Court?
Croome Court is found near Croome D'Abitot in Worcestershire. It's also close to Pirton, Worcestershire. The land where the estate was built used to be part of a large royal forest called Horewell Forest. You can still find parts of these old landscapes, like ancient woodlands, around the former Croome Estate.
The House
A Look Back in Time
The very first parts of Croome Court were built in the early 1640s. Over time, the house was changed and updated by different owners.
In 1751, George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry, inherited the estate. He hired Lancelot "Capability" Brown to redesign the house and its grounds. This was a very important project for Brown, showing off his skills in architecture. The house was built between 1751 and 1752. Croome Court is a great example of Neo-Palladian architecture, which is a style inspired by ancient Roman and Greek buildings.
Famous people visited Croome Court, including King George III. Even Queen Victoria visited when she was a child during her summer holidays. Later, George V (when he was the Duke of York) also came to see the house.
During the First World War, Croome Court was not used by the military. This was probably because the owner was important in the county and needed to stay there. However, during the Second World War, the house was used by the government. For a short time, it was even considered a safe place for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands to stay if she needed to escape the war.
After the wars, Croome Court was sold in 1948. It became St Joseph's Special School, run by nuns, from 1950 to 1979. Then, for a few years, it was used as a training college. After that, various owners tried to use the property for different things, like apartments or a hotel. Eventually, it became a private family home again.
In 2007, the Croome Heritage Trust, a charity, bought the house. Since 2009, the National Trust has managed it as a place for people to visit. They have been working hard to restore the building to its former glory. Croome Court is a very important historical building, listed as Grade I.
Outside the House
The outside of Croome Court is made from Bath stone, which is a type of limestone. The house has a basement and two main floors, with three floors in the sections at each end. A slate roof covers the building, with pointed roofs over the corner towers.
Both the front and back of the house have 11 sections, with a grand entrance on each side. The north side has a fancy doorway with stairs leading up to it. The south side has a large porch with columns and big windows. There are also stone sphinx statues on the wide staircase leading to the south door.
A two-story L-shaped building, called the service wing, is attached to the east side of the mansion. It's made of red brick and stone. This wing was also designed by Capability Brown in the 1750s.
Inside the House
The inside of Croome Court was designed by both Capability Brown and Robert Adam. Many rooms have beautiful plasterwork on the ceilings and walls.
The entrance hall is on the north side, with tall columns. To the east is the dining room, and to the west is a billiard room. These rooms were likely decorated by Capability Brown around 1758-1759.
The main room on the south side is called the Saloon. It has an amazing ceiling and grand fireplaces. King George III was entertained in this very room! Next to the Saloon is a drawing room with fancy plasterwork.
To the east of the Saloon is the Tapestry Room. This room was designed by Robert Adam and once held beautiful tapestries and furniture covers. These tapestries were later sold and are now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Today, the room at Croome Court shows how it looked after the tapestries were sold.
On the west side of the building is the Long Gallery. This long room was designed by Robert Adam between 1761 and 1766. It's one of the best-preserved parts of the original interior. It has a unique ceiling and plaster designs of griffins.
Walled Gardens
The first garden at Croome was created in the late 1600s. A kitchen garden was added in the early 1700s, which later became the large walled garden we see today.
Around 1750, the walled garden was redesigned to be a huge, seven-acre space. This might have made it the largest 18th-century walled garden in Europe! This large size allowed for a classical greenhouse to be built on the eastern side.
Capability Brown didn't change the walled garden much, but new heated greenhouses were added for growing fruits like melons, pineapples, peaches, and grapes. In 1766, a circular pool with a sundial designed by Adam was also created.
Around 1806, a very tall, heated wall was built. This "hot wall" is important because it was one of the first of its kind.
For many years in the 20th century, the walled gardens were left uncared for. However, in 2000, Chris and Karen Cronin bought them and began restoring them. The gardens opened to the public in 2014 and are run privately, separate from the National Trust.
Glass Houses
Over the centuries, the garden has had many different glass houses and heated structures. Today, you can see the restored melon and cucumber house, and the peach and fig house. The foundations of other houses, like the tomato house, are still there and will be restored in the future. The melon and cucumber house now collects rainwater from its roof to water plants, showing how the owners are focused on eco-friendly living.
Dipping Pond
The Dipping Pond was built in 1764, designed by Capability Brown. It got its name because people would dip buckets into it to collect water for the garden and nearby horse stables. This pond has been fully restored and now has a new water system connected to a nearby well. It also helps local wildlife, with rare frogs and newts being seen there.
The Hot Wall
Hot walls, like the one at Croome, were a big step in English garden history in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The hot wall at Croome, built in 1806, is the largest of its kind. It's nearly 100 meters long and 3 meters high! Its purpose was to create a warm climate for growing exotic fruits and vegetables, even when it was cold outside. The wall is positioned to get the most sun, but it also had five underground furnaces to provide extra heat.
The East and South-Facing Borders
The east-facing border is 150 meters long and has a curved shape. It's home to a mix of strong shrubs and delicate flowers, including Morello cherries, plums, and old-fashioned roses. The south-facing border is mainly used for growing exotic fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots, and pears. Interestingly, some leafy plants called Echium grow here, which are usually found in North Africa and only in one other tiny part of the UK.
Woodland
This area used to be where things were dumped from the estate. Archaeologists have found many old bottles, pottery, and metal items here, helping them learn about 200 years of the estate's history.
The Park
Croome Park is a beautiful landscape with a man-made lake and river, statues, temples, and other interesting buildings. Croome Court itself is the main focus of the park. Other buildings, like gatehouses and "eye-catchers," are placed around the park to draw your eye to the wider landscape. These eye-catchers include Pirton Castle, Panorama Tower, Dunstall Castle, and Park Seat.
Capability Brown designed this park starting in 1751. Croome and Hagley Hall have more "follies" (decorative buildings that look like ruins or temples) than any other estate in Worcestershire. Many parts of the park were designed to be seen from Croome Court. Robert Adam also helped design some of the temples and follies in the park.
The National Trust bought a large part of the parkland in 1996. They have restored the main part of the original 18th-century park, and it is now open for everyone to visit throughout the year.
St Mary Magdalene Church
This church is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. It was built in 1763 by Capability Brown for the Earl of Coventry. The inside of the church was designed by Robert Adam. Today, the church is cared for by The Churches Conservation Trust.
The Rotunda
The Rotunda is a circular "garden room" designed by Brown and built between 1754 and 1757. It has a fancy ceiling and is located in the shrubbery, about 350 meters east of the main house. It offers great views of the park. The Rotunda is also a Grade I listed building and has been restored by the National Trust.
The Park Seat
The Park Seat, also known as The Owl's Nest, was designed by Robert Adam in 1770. It was built as a special spot to enjoy the views of the park. The National Trust has restored it.
The London Arch
The London Arch is the main entrance to Croome Park. Robert Adam designed it in the 1770s. It got its name because guests traveling from London would pass under it in their carriages. The arch is currently being restored.
Ha-Ha
A ha-ha is a hidden ditch that acts as a fence without blocking the view. The one at Croome has been restored by the National Trust.
Ice House
The Ice House was used to store ice collected in winter so it could be used in warmer months. This building has also been restored by the National Trust.
Temple Greenhouse
The Temple Greenhouse was designed by Robert Adam and finished in 1763. It used to have large sliding windows and housed the Earl's collection of exotic plants. It was heated in winter by a fire at the back. Today, it is used as a tea room.
Around the Lake
The lake at Croome has several interesting features, including a grotto designed by Capability Brown. The lake itself has been restored, with a lot of silt and plants removed. On one of the islands in the lake, there is a temple pavilion.
Panorama Tower
The Panorama Tower is a circular "eyecatcher" temple designed by James Wyatt. It was finished around 1812. It's located about 2 kilometers from the main house and offers wide views over the park and the surrounding countryside. It was once used as a viewing platform for hunting. The tower is a Grade I listed building and has been restored by the National Trust. It's a well-known landmark that you can even see from the M5 motorway.
Pirton Castle
Pirton Castle is another "eyecatcher" designed by James Wyatt and built in 1797. It was made to look like an old, ivy-covered Gothic ruin. It's a Grade II listed building and was restored in 2009 by the National Trust. It sits on a ridge to the north of the park, among old Cedar of Lebanon trees. You can also see Pirton Castle from the M5 motorway.
Dunstall Castle
Dunstall Castle was built in 1766–1767 and also looks like a ruined castle. It was designed as an "eyecatcher" by either Sanderson Miller or Robert Adam. It's a Grade II* listed building and has been restored by the National Trust.
RAF Defford
During the Second World War, a top-secret air base called RAF Defford was located on part of the Croome Court estate.
Croome Collection
The Croome collection is a huge archive of old documents, plans, and letters related to the Coventry family and the Croome estate. It includes records about the building of Croome Court, its decorations, and the creation of the park. In 2006, these important historical records were moved to the Worcestershire Record Office so they could be properly looked after.
