Rodmarton Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rodmarton Manor |
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| General information | |
| Type | Country house |
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts movement |
| Classification | Grade I listed building |
| Location | Rodmarton, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire |
| Country | England |
| Construction started | 1909 |
| Completed | 1926-1929 |
| Owner | Biddulph family |
| Height | |
| Roof | Stone slate |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Stone |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ernest Barnsley |
Rodmarton Manor is a large country house located in Rodmarton, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. It was built for the Biddulph family. This special house is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important and protected.
The manor was built in the early 1900s. It shows off the Arts and Crafts movement style. This style focuses on traditional craftsmanship and natural materials. The main architect was Ernest Barnsley. After he passed away, his brother Sidney Barnsley and his son-in-law Norman Jewson finished the work. All the building materials came from nearby, and local craftspeople worked on them by hand.
The house has three parts, called wings, that are angled around a round, grassy courtyard. The east wing used to be for servants. Now, it has been changed into apartments. The central part of the house was not where the family lived. Instead, it was used for teaching and community events. People learned crafts there, and most of the furniture was made specially for the house by local workers. The gardens have hedges that create outdoor "rooms." There was also a large kitchen garden that grew much of the food for the house. A famous designer named Charles Ashbee said Rodmarton Manor was the best example of the Arts and Crafts movement.
During World War II, the house helped out in a big way. It was used as a safe place for children from a London Catholic school. It also became a place for mothers to have babies because there weren't enough midwives.
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History of Rodmarton Manor
In 1894, Claud Biddulph received a large piece of land from his father. In 1906, he decided to spend a lot of money each year to build a house. Claud and his wife, Margaret, loved the Arts and Crafts movement. This movement wanted to bring back old ways of making things by hand. So, they asked architect Ernest Barnsley to design their house in this style. Mr. Biddulph often called the manor his "cottage in the country."
The Biddulphs wanted a big house that could be a center for the village. They hoped villagers could come there to work on craft projects. Ernest Barnsley and his brother had moved to the Cotswolds in 1893. They left their old architecture business to focus on traditional crafting without using machines.
Building the Manor
Building started in 1909. Workers used oak wood from the estate and metalwork from local blacksmiths. The stone came from nearby quarries. It was brought to the site using a private railway line. Barnsley insisted that no machines would be used. For example, instead of using a machine to cut wood, they used a saw pit where wood was cut by hand.
The east wing was finished by 1915, and the Biddulphs moved in. The main reception rooms were also finished around this time. Even though the building was grand, the Biddulphs lived in smaller rooms. They used the large reception rooms for community activities. Mr. Biddulph also built some small cottages nearby.
Community and War Years
Because the Biddulphs loved the Arts and Crafts movement, they used the manor to teach villagers. They offered classes in things like woodwork and embroidery. There were also plays and music events for the villagers. This included puppet shows for children.
Construction stopped during World War I. Ernest Barnsley passed away in 1926. The last part of the house was finished between 1926 and 1929. His brother, Sidney, and his son-in-law, Norman Jewson, oversaw the work. The whole building took 23 years to complete. This was mainly because they used old-fashioned, hand-made methods. Also, no main contractor was hired to manage the entire project.
During World War II, Rodmarton Manor became an evacuation point. Over 150 children from the Sisters of Marie-Auxiliatrice school in London lived there. From 1943 until the war ended, Mr. Biddulph also let the house be used as a maternity house for free. This was because there was a shortage of midwives. When Anthony Biddulph took over the house in 1954, he turned the east wing into apartments. He chose to live in the "public" wing.
The Manor House Design
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Rodmarton Manor is a country house built from 1909 to 1929. It was made using local materials and built by local craftspeople. The house has three wings, shaped like three sides of an octagon. These wings surround a large, round, grassy courtyard. This courtyard is designed to look like a village green.
Most of the building is two stories high. It is made of cut stone. The roof is made of stone slate, and there are groups of chimneys. The rainwater pipes on the building have animals and flowers carved into them.
Inside the House
Rodmarton Manor has 74 rooms, including 19 bedrooms. Each bedroom is named after a local field. The main entrance leads to the "public" wing. This wing has a long hall that runs its full length. Off this hall is the drawing room, which has hanging tapestries designed by Hilda Sexton.
The drawing room connects to a large library. This room was originally a ballroom and was often used for performances. The library then connects to the formal dining room. This dining room was not used very often because it was far from the kitchen. All the furniture in the house was made specially for it by local workshops. Some pieces were made by Alfred Hoare Powell. The building was given Grade I listed status in 1952. Charles Ashbee called it the best example of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Gardens of Rodmarton Manor
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The gardens at Rodmarton Manor are also very special. They are listed as Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The gardens were also designed following the Arts and Crafts movement ideas. They grew food for the house. Margaret Biddulph, who studied at a gardening college, had a big influence on the gardens. She and the head gardener, William Scrubey, planted the gardens together.
The gardens to the south of the house have yew hedges that create separate spaces. These hedges are mixed with Portuguese laurels and roses. This makes it feel like there are outdoor "rooms" next to the house. Nearby, there is an area of topiary, which are bushes clipped into domes and layers. At the end of the south terrace, there is a ha-ha, which is a hidden ditch. Beyond it are cherry orchards and tennis courts. Only one tennis court remains today; the others have become a croquet lawn and a swimming pool.
Exploring the Gardens
The northern garden has a small pavilion and a small pond with places to sit. It also has a large kitchen garden with fruit trees. The biggest part of the garden is called the Long Garden. It is 75 meters long and 15 meters wide. It runs between a wall and a yew hedge. A long flagstone path goes through a lawn with a pool in the middle. This path leads to the pavilion at the end.
On the other side of the yew hedge is the Leisure Garden. This garden was designed to need less weeding. From here, paths lead to other special areas. These include the "Troughery," the Sunken Garden, and the Winter Garden. The "Troughery" is a small garden that uses stone troughs and staddle stones as features. These are surrounded by topiary plants.
