Last Sunday afternoon D and I continued our exploration of English Heritage Properties by visiting Witley Court in Worcestershire which I had been keen to visit for years. I must admit I didn't realise quite how much there was to see and do there so we will hopefully be returning.
Leaving the visitor centre we walked through an area known as the Wilderness which continues into woodland. The Wilderness was created between 1772 and 1794 and planted with mainly deciduous trees - oaks, sweet chestnut and beech. In the 1870's and 1880's rhododendron walks were developed and Witley Court has some unusual varieties which have been lost from other gardens. After a fire at Witley Court in 1937 when the house was destroyed the woodland was sold separately and many mature trees were felled. Restoration work is now taking place to replace the original mixed woodland.
The lake is called Front Pool and was created in the 18th century by damming a stream. I noticed you could take a boat trip on the lake which is something to bear in mind for a future visit.
My first Green-veined White butterfly of the year.
After meandering through the woods and past the lake you arrive at Witley Court which was once of the greatest country houses in England. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in 1937 and the owner decided against rebuilding and put the estate up for sale.
To the right of the house is Great Witley Church (not English Heritage).
Rather than visiting the church straightaway (big mistake!) we decided to have lunch in the tearoom first which seemed the best idea as they were about to stop serving lunches.
Rather than cake I picked a healthier option - cream cheese and cucumber sandwich and D had cheddar and chutney. The sandwiches were very good :)
After lunch I made a beeline for the church which is renowned for its Baroque design. Now many of you will remember that I am not having much luck with seeing inside churches recently (Adderbury and Welford on Avon were unusually closed and Coventry Cathedral had a service about to start restricting access) and today proved no exception to recent events - a recital was just about to begin so you couldn't just wander in and start taking photos!
The crypt was however open - to be honest I didn't stay inside long as I really did find it rather eerie with its collection of decomposing Georgian lead coffins (no photos of these allowed).
The 1804 Samuel Thorpe Tower Clock now restored to full working order was interesting.
Mortstones (heavy stone lids) were put on coffins to prevent the taking of newly buried corpses in the days when they were often stolen and sold for medical purposes.
You can see here what I missed seeing in the Georgian Baroque Church.
We then explored what was left of the mansion which had been developed over the centuries by the Foley and Dudley families. It was originally a medieval manor house which was turned into a large Jacobean house by the first Baron Foley and his son in the 1720's and 1730's. Regency architect John Nash added two massive porticos and there was a final extensive re-modelling of the house in the 1850's under the first Earl of Dudley by architect Samuel Daukes which gave the house a more Italianate look which had become fashionable by Queen Victoria's house at Osborne on the Isle of Wight.
The huge 19th century house was used for entertaining - parties and balls and it must have looked magnificent in its heyday.
House Martins were building nests.
Top of Ionic column
Plants in Walls
Timothy wanted to know where the dragons had gone!!
Information Boards in the various rooms showed what the rooms would have looked like before the fire - here the entrance hall.
View towards the East Parterre
View towards the South Parterre
Looking towards the Conservatory/Orangery which was one of the largest in England.
The Victorian Conservatory which once had a glass roof
The spectacular Perseus and Adromeda fountain which has been restored recently to full working order (it had been "firing" when we were looking round the house but had stopped by the time we reached it!). The fountain was the centre piece of the gardens at Witley in the 1850's. The gardens were designed by the landscape gardener William Andrews Nesfield and have been restored by English Heritage based on Nesfield's original designs and findings from garden archaeology.
The fountain was carved from Portland stone by James Forsyth and represents the classical myth of Perseus and Andromeda. Perseus on his winged horse Pegasus flies to the rescue of Andromeda who has been chained to a rock by Poseidon, the sea god, who is angry that it has been said that she is more beautiful than the sea nymphs. Andromeda is just about to be devoured by a sea serpent.
Cupids riding dolphins - the fountains are replicas of the originals.
In the East parterre is the fountain of Flora - goddess of Spring and flowers. Around her are four tritons (fish-tailed humans) blowing jets of water from conch shells. Sadly the original Flora statue has been broken and vandalised and it is hoped that the fountain will be restored.
Hopefully, we can return - an afternoon was not long enough! - as there are more woodland and wilderness walks to enjoy, a lakeland walk, a possible boat ride and of course I still would like to see inside the church!
*D Photos taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera
Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
Blue Tit Update
Sadly, there are now only 3 chicks left. The adults do not seem to be providing a great deal of food and, in fact, I do wonder if something has happened to the male as I only ever see one adult in the nest box at a time. I will post a few photos in my next post and we just have to hope that the 3 remaining will manage to survive and fledge.
It is sad that so many of those beautiful, mature trees were felled. It will be a long time, if ever, that old growth woodlands will exist.
ReplyDeleteSorry to read you are having such poor luck on church admission. I guess it happens that they are not always open or are restricted. The sandwiches do look rather appetising, don't they? You can't go far wrong with a good sandwich plate. Timothy looks as if he kept up his search for dragons, and the architecture is rather splendid. So, so sorry to hear the blue tits aren't doing so well. I guess that's the way of nature, and it isn't always a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteWell this yet again is a lovely place to visit and thanks for all the photographs you have shown us.
ReplyDeleteI like the lake, I like follies
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing afternoon, RR! Despite the recital, it seems to me you managed to pack in a tremendous amount - and Timothy evidently had a grand day out! How clever to see your first Green-veined White of the season: I look forward to seeing a few here. And, meanwhile, we had an Orange Tip (male) and a couple of Holly Blues in the garden today. How sad about your baby Blue tits, though I guess this sort of thing is not uncommon. I do hope the mother manages to rear the remaining chicks so that they fledge at the right time.
ReplyDeleteDavid M Gascoigne - Thank you. You are right about the felling. I get so angry about ancient woodlands being destroyed for HS2 and they think they can replace with them a few saplings :( Even worse it has come to light that thousands of saplings planted last year as replacements died in the drought - they didn't water them as cheaper to replace them :( You really couldn't make it up!
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thank you. Sundays in particular at cathedrals are not a good day to go visiting! I think the church at Adderbury was locked because they had suffered recent thefts :( and I think Welford on Avon may possibly have been because of building work ? Yes, the sandwiches were lovely. Timothy enjoyed the dragon quest :) Last few attempts at nesting in the nest box have not gone well - it is very distressing.
Margaret Birding for Pleasure - Thanks you - so glad you enjoyed.
Simon Douglas Thompsons - Thank you - there is a lakeland walk which we hope to do next visit.
Caroline Gill - Thank you. We did do quite well as we were only there about two and a half hours - I really didn't realise what a big site it was! Hope you see Green-Veined White soon. Thank you too for the good wishes for the chicks :) As you say it is not uncommon when food scarce or one parent is lost.
What a great place to visit, I think another trip back would be good. Shame about the church though.
ReplyDeleteThe fountain is stunning so pleased they are still using it and it has been restored. It would be good to do the woodland walks.
Just reminded me are you going looking for Emperor butterfly this year?
Hopefully the one bird can raise the chicks that are left.
Amanda xx
What a shame to hear about the Blue Tits, fingers crossed for the remaining ones.
ReplyDeleteThe sandwiches look lovely........but they're not cake....
The woodland there is looking lovely, it can only improve over the years, it's good to hear they are restoring.
Amanda Peters - Thank you - only an hour from home (well took us one hour 20 minutes but we got lost!!) so hopefully will go back. It is good to see items restored :)
ReplyDeleteYes, plan to go to see Purple Emperor - probably not Oversley though - plan to go back to Fermyn Woods where it seems so easy to see them and they come down to the ground. After hours searching Oversley over the years I couldn't believe how quickly we saw them at Fermyn. Distance wise both locations about the same distance from home.
Still 3 chicks today - have been watching again and still haven't seen two adults visiting same time :(
Pam
Thank you - as just mentioned to Amanda still three today.
Tend to agree I did miss the cake! but my son is on a diet and it didn't seem fair to stuff myself!
Glad you got to visit Witley Court, it's a fascinating place. I loved the fountain. When we visited the church they were just setting up an art exhibition, a lady ask us in as we were hovering unsure near the door but it didn't seem appropriate to take photos other than of the ceiling, I don't think I'd have liked the crypt either. Hope you can return one day. Hope your three little blue tits survive and fledge. I follow a bird group on facebook and several members have reported that some if not all of the chicks in their nest boxes haven't survived, I wonder if there is a specific problem this year? I hope not:)
ReplyDeleteRosie -
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am so glad we joined English Heritage as it is giving us the chance to find so many lovely new places. I often feel awkward taking photos in churches especially if there are other people in there or I am being given a guided tour.
I must admit I couldn't wait to get out of the crypt!
Three little chicks still hanging on. That is interesting to read about your bird group and suggestions that others are not doing well - so hard for birds to time the nesting attempt with the emergence of caterpillars especially with climate change and caterpillars appearing earlier,
The fountains were the highlight for me :)
What an interesting place to visit - it's great that they're re-introducing native trees back into the woodland, although will probably take years to establish.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your Blue Tit family, fingers crossed the remaining 3 will make it.
Sharon - Thank you and yes it was an amazing place. You could spend an afternoon walking round the grounds let alone the ruined house and gardens! Three young Blue Tits ok so far :)
ReplyDeleteIt is a long time since I visited Witley court on the church. But have called in at the tearooms quite often when we are travelling that way. The food is delicious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that you were not able to visit the church, the interior is lovely. Well worth a return visit for you :-)
CherryPie Thank you. We could probably have gone in the church when the concert was over but time was getting on but we will go back as we didn't allow enough time to explor.
ReplyDeleteThe tearoom is well worth a visit at any time so I am not surprised you use it when travelling :)