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 (say it like WIT-ik) is a beautiful Victorian house in Wolverhampton, England. It was built starting in 1887 for Theodore Mander. He owned a company that made paints and varnishes. The house stands next to an older building called the Old Manor. This older building was the first home on the land, built in the late 1500s or early 1600s.
Wightwick Manor is special because it shows off the Aesthetic movement and Arts and Crafts movement styles. These movements focused on beauty and handmade quality. Inside, you'll find many amazing items from William Morris and his company, Morris & Co.. These include cool wall hangings, wallpapers, and furniture covers. There are also tiles by William De Morgan and colorful stained glass by Charles Kempe.
The house also has a great collection of Pre-Raphaelite art. These artworks are by famous artists like Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Evelyn De Morgan, and Edward Burne-Jones. 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. Even after giving it away, they kept adding to the art collection until they passed away. Today, the house is open for everyone to visit. The Mander family still uses a private apartment there. The Old Manor building now has a gallery showing art by Evelyn and William De Morgan.
The Manor's Story
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The oldest building on the property is the Old Manor. It has parts from a medieval house and was built around the year 1600. The Wightwick family, who gave their name to the estate, owned it for many centuries. They sold it in 1815, and then it was sold again in 1887 to Theodore Mander.
The Mander family became well-known in Wolverhampton in the mid-1700s. They started a business making paints and varnishes. Theodore Mander, who bought Wightwick, was a director of this company. In 1879, he married Flora.
After buying Wightwick, Theodore asked Edward Ould, an architect from Liverpool, to design a new house. The first part of the house was finished in 1887. It included a billiard room. Theodore Mander was inspired by a talk given by Oscar Wilde in 1884 about creating a "House Beautiful." Theodore and Flora decorated the inside of Wightwick with designs by William Morris and other Arts and Crafts artists. However, many of the Pre-Raphaelite paintings were added later. This happened after the house was given to the National Trust, especially by Geoffrey Mander and his second wife, Rosalie, who studied art.
The house soon felt too small because it didn't have guest bedrooms. So, in 1893, they made the house much bigger. They added a new section with five guest bedrooms, a large living room called the 'great parlour,' a dining room, and a new billiard room. The fancy ceiling in the dining room was designed by Leonard Shuffrey.
In 1937, Geoffrey Mander, Theodore's son, convinced the National Trust to take on Wightwick Manor. At the time, the house was only 50 years old. It was unusual for the Trust to accept such a "new" house. But the house's design was so complete and special that it was worth saving. After giving the house to the Trust, Geoffrey and his second wife, Rosalie, lived there. They acted as curators, opening the house to the public and adding to its collections. They especially added many important Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Today, some of the Mander family still live in a private apartment within the manor.
Art, Gardens, and What to See
Wightwick Manor proudly displays art by 13 professional female artists. This is more than any other National Trust property. You can see important works by artists like Lizzie Siddal, Lucy Madox Brown, and May Morris. Most of these artworks were collected by the Mander family. The old malthouse building now has a gallery. It shows art by Evelyn De Morgan and her husband William.
The house sits on 17 acres of beautiful woodlands and gardens. The other buildings on the property include parts of an older Jacobean manor house. There are also stables, which are now a tea room. You can find a gallery in the old malt house, a gift shop, and a second-hand bookshop.
Wightwick Manor is located just off the main A454 road. This road goes from Wolverhampton to Bridgnorth. It's about three miles west of Wolverhampton city center.
The manor house itself is a very important historic building. It has been listed as Grade I since 1950. This means it's considered a building of exceptional interest. Its gardens are also listed as Grade II. This means they are important historic gardens.
See also
- List of works by Grayson and Ould
- Treasure Houses of Britain
