A beautiful and relaxing 6 mins at Wightwick Manor And Gardens - Shot On A DJI Mini 3 Pro
In 1937, Geoffrey Mander, a local paint manufacturer and Liberal MP, achieved something extraordinary: he successfully convinced the National Trust to accept a house for the nation that was only 50 years old. Geoffrey had inherited Wightwick in 1900, a residence designed in an 'Old English' style by Midlands architect Edward Ould. Built between 1887 and 1893 for his parents, Theodore and Flora Mander, the house bore the influence of Oscar Wilde's lecture on 'The House Beautiful.' Consequently, the interiors reflected Wilde's dedication to the principles of the Aesthetic Movement and the ideals of 'art for art's sake.' Wilde's impact manifested in the collection of objects from Japan and China, as well as the designs of William Morris and his British Arts and Crafts contemporaries. After entrusting the house to the Trust, Geoffrey and his second wife, Rosalie, assumed the role of live-in curator.
They opened the house to the public, enriching its contents, including an impressive collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings by artists like Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Marie Spartali Stillman, Elizabeth Siddal, and others. This collection stands as one of the largest public compilations of work by female artists in Britain.
Additionally, a separate gallery is dedicated to the 19th-century painter Evelyn De Morgan and her husband, ceramicist William De Morgan, on loan from the De Morgan Foundation. Keep an eye out for changing exhibitions featuring their work.
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The design of the manor seems to give the impression it is a much older manor.