Dudmaston Hall

About the museum

The manor of Dudmaston at Quatt appears in the Domesday Book and was granted in 1127 to the Norman knight Harlewin de Butailles, who took the name de Dudmaston. In 1403 the heiress Margaret de Dudmaston married into the Wolryche family, who held the estate for the next 370 years. The present red-brick house was begun in 1695 by Sir Thomas Wolryche, probably to designs by Francis Smith of Warwick, and was largely finished by 1701. In the 1820s William Wolryche-Whitmore, a liberal member of parliament, had the attic storey, library and dining room remodelled.

In the early twentieth century Captain Geoffrey Wolryche-Whitmore planted 200 acres of conifers as a cash crop, a forestry project that saved the estate from financial trouble and still shapes the woodland today. Geoffrey's niece, Lady Rachel Labouchere, inherited Dudmaston in 1952. She and her husband, the diplomat Sir George Labouchere, moved there in 1966 and installed galleries for their art collections, which include modern British art and Spanish art collected while Sir George served in Madrid, as well as Lady Labouchere's botanical art.

Lady Labouchere gave Dudmaston, with its collections, gardens, woodland and 3,000-acre working estate, to the National Trust in 1978. After her death in 1996 the house, as she had specified, became the family home of her Hamilton-Russell cousins, and the galleries, garden and park are open to visitors.

Highlights

• Galleries with modern art by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Ben Nicholson
• Spanish art collected under the Franco regime, in the Rebellion and Repression gallery
• Botanical art collection and Lady Labouchere's own watercolours
• Terraced garden with views over the water and outdoor sculpture
• Dingle woodland and Big Pool walks, plus Comer Woods on the wider estate

Permanent exhibitions

• The Modern Movement – Modern British art collected by Sir George Labouchere, with works by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Ben Nicholson, and a touch tour with 3D-printed copies.
• Rebellion and Repression – Spanish art collected while Sir George served in Spain under General Franco, including work by artists who used art to protest against the regime.

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are for non-members without the optional Gift Aid donation (adult £13.20, child £6.60, family £33.00 with Gift Aid). National Trust members and children under 5 enter free. Admission includes parking at Dudmaston Hall. Parking at the countryside car parks (Comer Woods, Hampton Loade and Sawmill) is free for members and £6 for the day for non-members.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

There is level access around reception, the orchard and the hall, and the hall is reached by an access ramp. 13 designated accessible parking spaces are near Visitor Reception, and visitors can be dropped off at reception. An accessible toilet is in the orchard and a Changing Places toilet is at the visitor entrance. An all-terrain powered mobility vehicle (Tramper) can be booked by email at least 24 hours ahead. An induction loop covers the property and wheelchairs are available. Braille and large-print guides and a picture folder are offered, together with a touch tour with 3D-printed copies of artworks, a sensory bag to borrow and a quiet space in Ice House Woods. Assistance dogs only are allowed in the house and galleries. Countryside trails have steep slopes and deep water.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Playground / play area

There is a playground near Visitor Reception and the tea-room, traditional garden games to borrow from the Toy Shed in the orchard, and seasonal trails and events. The Dingle and Big Pool walks have steep climbs and uneven ground and are not suitable for buggies. Comer Woods has an agility trail and surfaced trails for family bike rides.

Getting there & parking

The estate lies on both sides of the A442 between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. what3words for the hall: describes.detonated.evenings.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Orchard Tea-room with limited indoor seating and plenty of outdoor seating; a takeaway café is at Comer Woods. Second-hand bookshops are in the Stable Courtyard and Brewhouse Courtyard. Toilets are at Dudmaston Hall and in Comer Woods.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit