Witley Court's hidden treasures revealed

One of England’s greatest country houses is brought vividly to life with the publication of a new guidebook to Witley Court in Worcestershire.

The guidebook is a fascinating account of Witley Court’s colourful history with many high quality images of the estate as it is today and in its heyday. 

The guide reveals how the property was largely gutted by fire in 1937 and was subsequently stripped and abandoned. Yet as a ruin it remains deeply evocative and offers the visitor a rare opportunity to see earlier layers of the building’s history laid bare by the fire - from the substantial Jacobean house through to the opulence of the Georgian mansion remodelled by the first earl of Dudley in the 1850s.

A number of photographs of former staff and family members, as well as personal accounts, provide a flavour of what life was like.

Mrs Lorna Harrold (1918-2008) lived on the estate until 1924 when she was six. She tells her story of life at Witley Court where her father was head groom. But Lorna says things changed when the Dudley family left. She says:

“After Lady Dudley died, Sir Herbert Smith bought the Court. He used to have a big Rolls Royce and he would go through the village every day in his top hat.”

The first Lord Dudley’s immense wealth, generated largely by his industrial enterprises in the West Midlands, enabled his family to live an extraordinarily opulent life. It also funded the creation of the ornate formal garden, designed by the leading garden designer of the day, William Andrews Nesfield. The gardens have recently been restored and the Perseus and Andromeda fountain – the grandest in Europe – has also been painstakingly restored to working order. The famous gardens provide a dramatic setting for the ruins of what was once one of England’s finest country houses.

The Witley Court title is the latest in a series of guidebooks, with distinctive red covers, to be published by English Heritage.  Written by leading experts in their fields and lavishly illustrated throughout, each guide contains a comprehensive site tour and a section tracing the history of the property and the people who lived and worked there. 

Commenting on the new guidebook, Ian Marsh, English Heritage’s Assistant Visitor Operations Director for the West of England said:

“I am delighted that we have been able to capture the history of Witley Court, one of English Heritage’s best loved sites and a property with a long and complex history. The guidebook takes an entirely fresh approach to the site’s history - the format and content is attractive and accessible while at the same time providing historical information of the highest standard.  The oral histories give a connection with those who have lived at this historic site, while the number of quality photographs and illustrations, maps and plans brings the house and gardens to life and help visitors gain the most out of their visit.”

The guide includes fold-out maps of the entire site, floor plans of the mansion and a section on the famous gardens.  It also contains information about access to Witley Court for people with disabilities.

The guidebook to Witley Court costs £3.99 and is available at the site, as well as from local bookshops.  It can also be ordered from the Online Shop