Wightwick Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wightwick Manor |
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Wightwick Manor, 2016
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| Location | Wightwick Bank |
| OS grid reference | SO 86946 98441 |
| Area | Wolverhampton |
| Built | 1887–1893 |
| Architect | Edward Ould |
| Architectural style(s) | "Old English" Tudor Revival Arts and Crafts |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Reference no. | 1201902 |
| Reference no. | 1001421 |
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Wightwick Manor is a beautiful old house from the Victorian era in Wolverhampton, England. It was built starting in 1887 for Theodore Mander, who owned a paint and varnish company. The architect who designed it was Edward Ould. The manor is right next to an even older building called the Old Manor, which was the first home on this land.
Wightwick Manor is special because it shows off the "Arts and Crafts" and "Aesthetic" styles. These were popular ways of designing and decorating homes in the late 1800s. The house is filled with amazing art and decorations. You can see many works by William Morris and his company, Morris & Co.. These include beautiful wall hangings, wallpapers, and furniture fabrics. There are also colorful tiles by William De Morgan and stained glass windows by Charles Eamer Kempe.
The house also has a fantastic collection of Pre-Raphaelite art. These are paintings by artists like Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, and Ford Madox Brown. Much of this art was collected by Sir Geoffrey and Lady Rosalind Mander. They inherited the house in 1900. In 1937, they gave the house and its gardens to the National Trust. This is a charity that protects historic places. The Manders kept adding to the art collection until they passed away. Today, you can visit Wightwick Manor and explore its history and art. A part of the house is still used by the Mander family. The Old Manor building now has a gallery showing art by Evelyn and William De Morgan.
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The Manor's Story
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The oldest building on the property is the Old Manor. It has parts of a medieval house and was built around the early 1600s. The Wightwick family owned the land for many centuries. They sold it in 1815, and then in 1887, Theodore Mander bought it.
The Mander family became well-known in Wolverhampton in the mid-1700s. They started a company that made paints and varnishes. Theodore Mander, who bought Wightwick, became a director of the company in 1879. He married Flora, whose father was a politician in Canada.
Building the New House
After buying the land, Theodore Mander asked Edward Ould to design a new house. The first part of Wightwick Manor was finished in 1887. It had a main section and a wing with a billiard room. Theodore and Flora Mander were inspired by a lecture given by Oscar Wilde about creating a "House Beautiful." They decorated the inside of their new home with designs by William Morris and other Arts and Crafts artists. However, many of the Pre-Raphaelite paintings were added later. Sir Geoffrey and Lady Rosalind Mander, who were art historians, collected most of these after the house was given to the National Trust.
Expanding the Manor
The house soon felt too small, especially since it didn't have guest bedrooms. So, in 1893, the billiard room was taken down. A new section was built, which almost doubled the size of the house. This new part added five guest bedrooms, a large living room called the "great parlour," a dining room, and a new billiard room. The dining room has a very fancy plaster ceiling designed by Leonard Shuffrey.
In 1937, Geoffrey Mander, Theodore's son, gave Wightwick Manor to the National Trust. He was a politician and also worked for the family paint company. The house was only 50 years old at the time, but it was so well-designed that it was worth saving. After giving the house away, Geoffrey and his second wife, Rosalie, became its caretakers. They opened it to the public and continued to add to its amazing collections. They especially added many Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Today, some of the Mander family still live in a private apartment within the manor.
Art, Gardens, and More
Wightwick Manor proudly displays the work of 13 professional female artists. This is more than any other National Trust property. You can see art by Lizzie Siddal, Lucy Madox Brown, and May Morris. Most of these artworks were collected by the Mander family. The old malthouse building on the property now has a special gallery. It shows art by Evelyn De Morgan and her husband William De Morgan, on loan from the De Morgan Foundation.
The manor has 17 acres of beautiful woodlands and gardens. The buildings around the main house include parts of an even older Jacobean manor house. There are also stables, which are now a tea room, and a gift shop. You can also find a second-hand bookshop.
Wightwick Manor is located about three miles west of Wolverhampton city centre. It's just off the main A454 road that goes from Wolverhampton to Bridgnorth. The manor house has been a "Grade I listed" building since 1950. This means it's a very important historic building. Its gardens are also listed as "Grade II" on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Images for kids
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Leonard Shuffrey's dining room plaster frieze and strap-work ceiling at Wightwick Manor
See also
- List of works by Grayson and Ould
- Treasure Houses of Britain
