Wightwick Manor and Gardens

Om museet

Wightwick Manor was built between 1887 and 1893 for Theodore and Flora Mander. Theodore was a director of Mander Brothers, a Wolverhampton firm and one of Britain's oldest makers of paint, varnish and printing ink. The architect Edward Ould designed an 'Old English' house in the Tudor and Jacobean revival style, with timber framing, patterned chimneys and oak carving, while adding modern comforts such as electric lighting and central heating. The older Wightwick manor house on the site was turned into servants' quarters.

The Manders chose wallpapers, fabrics and furnishings from the shop and catalogue of Morris & Co, although William Morris himself never visited the house. Theodore's son Geoffrey and his wife Rosalie, Lady Mander, later built up an outstanding collection of Pre-Raphaelite art, with works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Elizabeth Siddall and Marie Spartali Stillman. Geoffrey Mander insisted the house should remain a home rather than become a gallery, so the pictures are shown in domestic rooms without labels, and catalogues are provided instead.

The house was saved in 1937, after which Sir Geoffrey expanded the Morris collection with sketches, carpets and curtains, and it is now cared for by the National Trust. Visitors today find a home that still feels lived in, with cat-shaped cushions marking places to sit, a gallery in the Malthouse, and gardens with a woodland play area.

Højdepunkter

• William Morris wallpapers, fabrics and furnishings
• Pre-Raphaelite art by Rossetti, Burne-Jones and Siddall
• Late Victorian 'Old English' manor by Edward Ould
• Malthouse Gallery with De Morgan ceramics and paintings
• Gardens with a natural woodland play area
• Virtual tour touch-screen in the manor

Permanent udstilling

• Wightwick Manor and collection – A late Victorian family home furnished with Morris & Co designs and Pre-Raphaelite paintings, shown in domestic rooms.

Grundlagt

1887

Ejer

National Trust

Entrépriser & rabatter

Prices are standard admission without Gift Aid; paying with Gift Aid adds about 10 percent (adult £19.80, child £9.90, family £49.50). National Trust members and under 5s enter free.

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The grounds are partly accessible, with slopes, some steps and grass paths, and there is no lift in the manor, although the De Morgan gallery has a lift. A volunteer-driven buggy runs from the car park on request, and manual wheelchairs can be borrowed on arrival; only electric wheelchairs are allowed in the manor and gallery. Accessible toilets are in the car park, by reception and next to the tea-room. There is separate mobility parking by visitor reception, induction loops at all till points, braille guides of the manor at the front door and a touch-screen virtual tour with narration. An accessible route map is available at reception. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Barnevognsvenlig: findes ikke
• Puslerum
• Legeplads / legehjørne

The gardens have a natural woodland play area, and seasonal trails and activities run in school holidays (for example a Halloween trail at £3 per trail sheet). Toilets with baby changing are at visitor reception and by the tea-room. Pushchairs must be left outside the manor.

Transport & parkering

The car park is on the A454 between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth; follow brown signs from the Chapel Ash junction of the Wolverhampton ring road. Use the satnav postcode WV6 8BN, because the postal address leads to the exit gate. The site welcomes visitors who arrive by train, bus or bike with a free hot drink on showing a valid ticket or bike helmet. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal passes nearby, with moorings at Wightwick Bridge.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Museumsbutik
• Opbevaringsskabe

Manders Tearoom has indoor and outdoor seating, and a kiosk sells ice cream and takeaway drinks at busy times. The Old Manor Shop sells William Morris and Arts and Crafts products, gifts, books and toys; there is also a plant shop and a second-hand bookshop. Lockers for large bags are available in the manor on a first-come basis.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Firmaarrangementer

Op til 20 personer.

A meeting room in the Old Manor seats 16 boardroom style or 20 theatre style and has a projector, Wi-Fi and flipchart; lunch can be arranged through the tea-room.

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