Witley Court was built as a great country house in Worcestershire by Thomas Foley in 1655. Over the years the house has changed hands several times bringing around many structural and site changes, including the removal of a village which was too close to the landscaped grounds.
The conservatory at Witley Court © English Heritage photo library
However the exterior of the house remained almost the same until in 1805 when the new owner instructed architect John Nash to carry out a reconstruction, making several additions to the structure.
Fifty years later William Nesfield was employed to add to this great scheme by transforming the gardens. Well known for his designs of parterres – ornamental flower gardens arranged in a pattern – he went to work landscaping the grounds, creating a traditional 18th Century design. As part of the improvements Nesfield included magnificent stone fountains, the largest representing Perseus and Andromeda in the south garden.
Destroyed by fire in 1937, Witley Court is now a ruin surrounded by beautiful gardens, with a hand-full of restored rooms open to the public.
Architectural style
The site was originally occupied by a Jacobean brick house, however by the 17th century this was hidden within Thomas Foley’s additions. John Nash’s 19th century restructure completes the building we see today.
Building highlights
- An impressive feature of this site is the gardens and particularly the fountains within them. The central avenue of planting was designed to lead from the house to the south parterre, drawing the eye down to the fountain display.
- The Perseus and Andromeda fountain (often called the Poseidon fountain) is thought to be the largest in Europe with its figures based on Greek legend. The water which spouts from the sea monster’s mouth reaches a height of 36 metres.
- The fountain contains 120 separate jets hidden amongst giant shells, sea nymphs, dolphins and the monstrous serpent.
Quirky fact
In 2003 Witley Court’s freehold was put up for sale on eBay for £975,000.
Visitors at Witley Court © English Heritage photo library
Using this building as a teaching resource
Due to the fire in 1937 the majority of the building is a shell. This allows students to get a good sense of space and height, and an understanding of the construction through experiencing the space.
The garden’s parterres also offer a unique learning experience. The south parterre is now restored to its former glory and the east parterre is undergoing restoration in 2009. This provides students with the opportunity to see the full process of restoration first hand, allowing them to easily imagine the end result.
A visit to Witley Court is of particular interest to students at Key Stage 2 studying Victorian Britain or an aspect of local history such as life in a country house.
Using Witley Court as a teaching resource, enhances student engagement, provides students with a chance to interact with and learn about a local place and helps to broaden their thinking skills.
Suggested activities
Key stage 2
Be a building detective for the day. Can you guess what the rooms in Witley Court were originally used for? What are the clues? Looking at features in the rooms can you tell whether the space was private or used for entertaining?
Key stage 3
Using the south parterre as an example complete a birds eye view plan of the east parterre. Where it is incomplete, what do you think it would have looked like? Can you complete the pattern?
Region
West Midlands
Location
Witley Court
Worcestershire
WR6 6JT
Witley Court is an English Heritage site.
For enquiries, contact 0121 625 6864.
For school booking enquiries only, email educ.wm@english-heritage.org.uk.
Accessibility
Open to the public all year round:
10am – 5pm March to May, September and October
10am – 6pm June to August
10am – 4pm November to February
Further information
English Heritage offer three discovery visits
- Habitats and homes (KS 1 and 2), focusing on science, art and design.
- Investigate the Victorians (KS 2), focusing on history, literacy, art and design.
- The business of heritage and tourism (KS 4 and 5), focussing on travel and tourism, and business studies.
General information on Witley Court
Witley Court teacher information produced by English Heritage. The timeline is very useful as are the subject specific lesson ideas.
