Winterbourne House and Garden

About the museum

Winterbourne was built in 1904 for John and Margaret Nettlefold of the Birmingham manufacturing firm Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. It is a rare surviving example of an early twentieth-century suburban villa and garden in the Arts and Crafts style, with local craftsmanship throughout the house. John was a pioneer of town planning, and Margaret designed the garden, taking ideas from the writings of the horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll.

The Nettlefolds sold the house in 1919 to the lawyer Harry Wheelock. John Nicolson, a keen gardener, bought it in 1925 and created new areas such as a scree garden and alpine features. When he died in 1944 he left the house and garden to the University of Birmingham.

Under the university the house served first as an annexe providing rooms for female students and later housed academic departments, while the garden became its botanic garden. From the 2000s a dedicated team restored parts of the house and developed the plant collection. The garden was listed Grade II in 2008, and the house gained museum accreditation in 2017.

Today the rooms are furnished in the style the Nettlefold family would have known, including a nursery with toys. A permanent exhibition on the first floor covers the history of Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds, and the house is also home to the university's herbarium.

Highlights

• Arts and Crafts villa from 1904 with William Morris wallpaper
• Period rooms furnished in the style of the Nettlefold family, including the nursery
• Permanent exhibition on Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds
• University of Birmingham Herbarium exhibition
• Seven-acre botanic garden with a walled garden
• Terrace Tea Room, gift shop and second hand bookshop

Permanent exhibitions

• Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds: Treasures from the Archive – A permanent exhibition on the first floor of the house on the role of GKN in the industrial development of the West Midlands, which made the screws, nuts and bolts used in early car and aircraft production.
• The Dry Garden: Treasures from the University Herbarium – A permanent exhibition on the University of Birmingham Herbarium, a collection of dried plant specimens dating back to the early 1900s.

Operated by

University of Birmingham

Admission & discounts

Prices shown are without Gift Aid; the standard ticket is 11.25 pounds with Gift Aid. University of Birmingham staff and students enter free with a valid ID card. Members of the Historic Houses Association enter free on most days, and Royal Horticultural Society members enter free Monday to Wednesday. National Trust and English Heritage membership is not accepted. Visitors arriving by train or bus get two-for-one entry. The site is cashless; card payments only.

Accessibility

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

A platform lift serves all three floors of the house, and many garden paths are wheelchair friendly with step-free routes. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be borrowed free of charge on a first-come basis. Three blue badge spaces are next to the house. An accessible toilet is on the ground floor, and seating is provided throughout the garden. Only assistance dogs are allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

There is a children's garden with a willow tunnel and picnic tables, highchairs and children's food options, and a private baby change and feeding room in the house. Breastfeeding is welcome across the site and pushchairs can be used in the house and garden. Family tickets and family membership are available.

Getting there & parking

The site is just off the A38 on the University of Birmingham campus; for satnav use the full address, 58 Edgbaston Park Road, B15 2RT. Coaches can drop off and collect passengers on the driveway.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

The Terrace Tea Room serves drinks, cakes and light lunches; tables cannot be reserved. There is a gift shop, a second hand bookshop and plant sales. Large bags and luggage cannot be stored. Access to the tea room and shops requires an admission ticket.

Events & venue rental

• Corporate events: not available
• Weddings / ceremonies: not available

The site cannot host weddings or bookable conferences. The garden can be booked in advance for personal or commercial photoshoots and filming; the house cannot be used for photoshoots.

Plan your visit