Last updated on April 6th, 2024 at 12:22 am
The wind and rain blow arrogantly through the empty shell of Witley Court. There are puddles in the earth-floored entrance hall, where the Prince of Wales had been among many rich and powerful Victorian house guests. The hand-woven Persian silk carpet and exquisite statuary have long gone; there is no trace of the brass-railed balcony that once ran round the hall at first floor level, giving access to the sumptuous bedrooms beyond. The walls are bare brick now, stripped of artwork and ornate plasterwork. Once upon a time, the ballroom in the east wing had been lit by eight great chandeliers, whose sparkled light reflected back from plate-glass mirrors in between rich wall-paintings in arched recesses. At Christmas, jewellery was hung from Christmas trees for lady guests. No, there’s nothing left, no hint of the one hundred staff that used to work here, or the family they served. Outside, the once fabulous orangery, which had been a marvel of tropical plants under a curved glass roof, stands forlorn and skeletal, its marble paving replaced with concrete. Yet the formal gardens to the east and south, dominated by two enormous fountains, look as though they’ve been frozen in time. The gardeners have been here all along? Shaking your head, the vision of an aristocratic picnic party gathered by the astonishing Perseus and Andromeda fountain, men wearing straw boaters and firm expressions, prim, elegant, ladies clutching parasols, fades. A little sadly, you realise it was just your imagination; they were all laid to rest long before you were born.
The ruined splendour of Witley Court lies in the countryside between Worcester and Kidderminster, close by the village of Great Witley. Its early history is a little vague. There is an Iron Age fort to the south-west, at Woodbury Hill, and the original village was simply Witley, a Saxon name, now Little Witley, to the south east. Great Witley did not exist until much later. Sometime after the Norman Conquest, the land was granted to an Urso d’Abetot, who may or may not have been related to William the Conqueror, but was certainly an 11th century Sheriff of Worcestershire. The manor of Witley passed through various hands until being acquired, through marriage, by the Russells of Strensham in 1499. The original manor house may have been at what is now Home Farm, which is listed as a moated manor house dating from the medieval period, a mile or so to the west of the present Witley Court. The Russells had a house on the site of Witley Court, with a village to the south now buried under the formal gardens, where the fountain is now. The house was rebuilt in brick early in the 17th century, before being sold to Thomas Foley in 1655. The Foleys were new money, ironmasters who had apparently made a fortune from nails during the Civil War. Thomas enlarged the brick Jacobean house, adding towers. All of his heirs were called Thomas. Thomas No 3 built (or rebuilt) the east and west wings and demolished the medieval church, wanting to build a new one closer to the house. This project was completed by his son, Thomas No 4, who also fitted the parish church with glass and elaborate decoration, including the ceiling, bought and relocated from the chapel of Cannons, a stately home near Edgware; its baroque magnificence is still there. It was around this time that the villagers were prevailed upon to vacate their homes, so that the Foleys could have a nice back garden, thus creating the present village of Great Witley to the west. Thomas No 6 was a friend of John Nash, creator of Regent Street and Buckingham Palace; Nash added classical porticoes to the north and south of the house. T6 was an obese gambler, nicknamed Lord Balloon, who squandered much of the Foley wealth. His grandson, T8, was forced to sell the estate in 1833 in order to pay his grandfather’s debts.
The purchaser of Witley Court and its estate were the trustees of William Humble, Lord Ward, of Himley Hall, heir to a massive fortune gained through coal and iron mines. He later became 1st Earl Dudley but, before he came into his inheritance in 1846, the estate was lent to Queen Adelaide, widow of King William IV. Lord Ward, once he had control, set about transforming Witley Court, refurbishing all of the one hundred rooms, laying out gardens and fountains, and creating a palace. This included adding the orangery, enlarging the servants’ quarters, erecting a decorative stone balustrade around the formal gardens to keep animals from the thousand-acre deer park out, and facing the entire court, and church, with cut stone. Considering his other properties included an estate in Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, the medieval and largely ruined Dudley Castle, as well as a grand house in London – which was of course de rigueur for a man of his class – you get an idea how seriously wealthy these people were.
The hey-day for Witley Court, though, was once the 2nd Earl, also called William Humble, had inherited in 1885. In 1891, Dudley married Rachel Anne Gurney, a noted beauty, and they had seven children. Dudley went on to become a Conservative Politian, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Governor-General of Australia. He also served in the 2nd Boer War and the First World War, raising a regiment at his own expense which fought at Gallipoli. He was a personal friend of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, and known for his extravagance. It strikes me that Witley Court might have been created by his predecessors just for for the 2nd Earl Dudley and his guests to enjoy. It was during this time that it became known for its lavish hospitality, with hunting parties (the Earl employed 25 full-time keepers), cricket and golf, as well as grand balls. The Earl was a keen sportsman and created both a cricket ground and golf course in the park. The running expenses must have been enormous; staff aside, Witley Court’s heating system, for example, allegedly used 30 tons of coal each day and, in addition, there were coal fires in every room. Nor were the Dudley businesses coping well in the face of German and American competition; the writing was actually on the wall as early as the 1880s. By 1920, the Earl knew he had to sell. Then tragedy struck, when the Countess drowned in a bathing accident in Ireland.
The Witley estate was sold in lots. Witley Court itself and 800 acres went to Sir Herbert Smith, a carpet manufacturer from Kidderminster. Smith made economies, including reducing staff dramatically, and had electricity installed. But the glory days of Witley Court were gone. In 1937, a fire broke out in the east wing. Though the west wing was untouched, in 1938 Herbert Smith decided to cut his losses and sell up. The house was stripped and, over the years, fell into decay.
It was rescued from total destruction by the Government in 1972 and, now in the care of English Heritage, the ruin of Witley Court is an extraordinary place to visit. Access is through wooded gardens, where there are forest walks and a kiddies’ play area, to a lake in front of the house. The ghosts start drifting in as you stroll up to where the grand front door would have been and see the butler coming down to greet you. Though the ruins have been stabilised, very little of the enormous house is open to visitors and none of the outbuildings. There must be cellars somewhere, too. Photographs and audio guides give an idea of what it must have been like little more than a century ago. But the gardens, as suggested earlier, have been lovingly and beautifully restored. Walking through the shell of the house onto the south terrace produced a sharp intake of breath and a gentle, “Wow”. The Perseus and Andromeda fountain, in particular, needs to be seen – it is ‘fired up’ at particular times and the jet is said to reach 100 feet.
So, Witley Court joins the ranks of the great houses of Britain that are no more, but which can be enjoyed by a greater number of people than they were intended for. Its emptiness is sad and it is an evocative place. Thank heaven it didn’t happen to Downton Abbey. But my often latent sense of egalitarianism surfaced as I pondered this lost world of privilege: it is not morally right, I thought, for someone to enjoy such a disproportionately greater amount of wealth than his employees; it’s a matter of degree. Please don’t remind me of these subversive feelings when I sell A Bit About Britain for a multi-million sum.
Incidentally, do not miss Great Witley parish church, built by the 2nd Lord Foley. Dedicated to St Michael and All Angels, it is one of the most breathtaking parish churches in Britain and deserves its own feature. Here’s a taster.
I can also highly recommend the adjacent Witley garden tea room – it is uniquely charming. And, finally, music fans might note that there is a bench in the grounds dedicated to local singer-songwriter Clifford T Ward (1944-2001).
Your post is a beautiful and humbling saga about wealth and aspiration and how families (and cultures and countries!) rise and fall. I agree that “it is not morally right…for someone to enjoy such a disproportionately greater amount of wealth than his employees.” Here in the USA we are at what I hope proves to be a tipping point regarding an extraordinary imbalance of wealth due to a few decades of our politicians being bought/guided by rich people and corporations…
Thank you for allowing me to travel and learn without leaving my living room!
It’s a pleasure; that’s the general idea! Though I like to encourage visitors too.
We drop in at Witley regularly. My great great grandfather Henry was born there and baptised at the church but his mother was an unmarried servant girl of 18. Nobody called Henry was in her family but there was a young lad called Henry Foley living there at that time. Co-incidence ? maybe yet the picture of Baron Foley is identical to one I have of my father. I wonder. . .
Maybe..any chance of a DNA test?! Thanks for dropping in and sharing that, hope you enjoy the rest of the site.
That is amazing!?…..in my thoughts many times visiting, mind you my first visit I thought of such a a story as if the whispers of wind were telling me the story!?
Sounds like you have a book in you..!
Could anyone envision Witley Court restored back to it former glory as a 5-Star Hotel and museum? Afterall, Castle Howard suffered a similar fire damage that was even worse than Witley Court. And yet, Castle Howard is full re-roof and being restored back to it former glory. Why can’t Witley Court follow in Castle Howard’s footsteps? I would love to see Witley Court serve as a monument to Sir Winston Spensor-Churchill and his family, which would be linked to Blenheim Palace.
That’s quite a thought. Though Witley Court in its present state is an evocative memorial. For me, Chartwell is the place to go to get a sense of Churchill – https://bitaboutbritain.com/churchill-chartwell/ And the Cabinet War Rooms – https://bitaboutbritain.com/cabinet-war-rooms/
What a fascinating piece. I had heard of Witley Court but never read much about it. William Humble – was that really his name or just a sardonic nickname? I too hate to think of these fools with so much money and so little awareness – when you think of the poverty there must have been while he was indulging himself. But the gardens look amazing and must give employment to many people. Another mental note to call by in the area. I think you do so very well in keeping up the standard of your posts. I don’t always comment on the most recent blogs but there is so much to see. By the way a couple of the posts don’t allow comments – including the one on Britain between the wars. Is this intentional? Thanks again for your excellent posts Mike.
Thanks very much, Jenny – really appreciated. Yes, William Humble was his real name. I do prevent comments on certain posts – but there’s nothing to stop anyone getting in touch via the contact page if they have anything they’d like to say.
Such a very lovely and beautiful place I saw this this manor many years ago before any one had started any work or restoration on the the grounds… talk about eerie!!!! you could fell the ghosts everywhere… you drove up to an untouched ghostly grounds for years the grounds and the fountains were untouched only with chains holding the statues in place so they would not be pinched and all the stone work large neptune in the center with water creatures with large octopus tails what happened to it all !!? and the massive lions up the steps I heard they were sold? was so very beautiful in that state years went by I went back it had all changed the eerieness was gone and so much of the staturary was gone what happened to it all? was not the same…. my special place.
What an evocative description! Wonderful. It’s still a special place underneath? And, to those of us who did not know it before, still evocative. Thanks very much for reading the article and leaving a comment – hope you enjoy the rest of A Bit About Britain.
Where has the Clifford T Ward bench gone!? I’ve only seen it once and it has been missing ever since. We asked about it a year or so ago and they said it was “being restored” but it has never come back.
Thanks for popping into ‘ABAB’ Do you think the bench could have been kidnapped by a Clifford T Ward fan?
I’m hoping to visit Witley Court this summer. THanks for sharing this post with us, it’s great to see the old photos too 🙂
Thanks for dropping in! Enjoy your visit – it’s an amazing place; don’t forget the church next door…
My parents used to own Witley Court from 1947 to 1960 I grew up when I was small had a great time there with my sister. My sister and I used to have a great time playing around in the fountains when my parents were working in the courtyards making jam and canning fruit. The names were Joyce and John Davies
That must have been amazing! Thanks for letting us know.
I’d actually never heard of Witley before, despite being an English Heritage member! What a sumptuous place it must have been; I love your wistful description in the first paragraph. Also the ceiling paintings really are something, for a local parish church!
It’s a fascinating place; I’m saving my other pictures of the church for another article…
Would have been magnificent in its glory days. Here’s a link to a Dudley descendant we call our own: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Ward#Early_life.
Interesting…would you adam and eve it?!
Eh?! Not familiar with this saying, mike…
Sorry – it’s Cockney rhyming slang – “would you believe it” – ie an expression of pleasure/surprise.
I’m always amazed when at least the framework of the estate, along with the gardens, can be saved and continue to be visited. Foresight and luck ! and at least they don’t continue to need 30 tons of coal a day (can that be right?)
Well, 30 tons was what I read – though it does seem an awful lot, I agree! It was a huge place, though. Hopefully, I’ve covered my back by inserting the word ‘allegedly’ now!
My cousin, who lived nearby in Worcester, took me to the church some years ago. It is truly a beautiful building. He never mentioned the house and garden. I thought it was a private place. Now I have to visit Worcester again, just to see the garden. Thanks for sharing.
I’m not sure how long Witley Court has been open to the public – but it certainly is now, and definitely worth a visit. The church is astonishing.
Wow – what a place. Thanks for posting this.
What a sad place! I find recent ruins much more difficult to deal with than ancient ones for some reason. The fountain is glorious! I also enjoyed seeing the old photographs of the court in its heyday as well as your pictures with which to compare them.
Thank-you for the Clifford T Ward video. I had forgotten the poor man but remember loving his song ‘Gaye’.
Enjoyed. I can imagine those ghosts you mentioned. I wonder what they think of the world today.
More engagingly written and well illustrated history
Because I know far more about John Nash than about 2nd Earl Dudley, the Earl’s connections to Witley and Australia were a very pleasant surprise. Boer War, Gallipoli, Governor General of Australia etc etc.
What an eerie place but very beautiful, English Heritage do such a great job with places like these.
Yes, it is slightly eerie. And EH have certainly done a good job with this one! Thank you for dtropping in and leaving a comment 🙂
Witley is an evocative place and the fountain quite splendid.
As to the nearby tea room we managed to detour so we could lunch there earlier this year 😉
Such a beautiful place, and you describe the scene, tell the history so well.
The area too sounds a very interesting area to visit seeing both the taster of the Church and tea rooms.
All the best Jan
Of course I had to linger over that last gorgeous view! Outstanding post, your title peaked my interest and you sure explained it in your story-telling voice that I always enjoy. What great history, you teach us so much.
Another interesting piece, Mike. Keeping the house as a sort of backdrop for the garden is the only reason I can think of for keeping it so tidy and trim. I usually consider that old and abandoned places should look the part and be covered in ivy, (or, even better, encouraged to grow virginia creeper, wisteria or something equally picturesque.) But this does work. I didn’t realise it was near Kidderminster, though, and on reflection I think that’s because I thought it was in Oxfordshire, and was getting it mixed up with Witney!
Your description of the court in days gone by is just … well, I can totally imagine that Christmas tree dripping with gold jewelry and all the other opulence. I share your thoughts about the unfairness of the wealth of the privileged. I am in Miami this weekend attending a wedding in a family of modern privilege and wealth and being chauffeured and served by people whose families are in Puerto Rico and have lost everything in Hurricane Irma.
Beautiful even in a state of ruin.
I am SO glad you guys have things like English Heritage and National Trust. These properties are beautiful and so deserve their preservation. Another very interesting post, Mike. Are you a travel guide/agent in real life because you would be great at it!
And thanks for your visits to Marmelade Gypsy — I confess, I am so far behind in thanking people for visits (or answering questions or whatever). Life happens. We get over it.
Appreciate the compliment! No, just an enthusiast, I guess…
You are very well at this! Thank you for the tour of Witley Court which I very much enjoyed.:-)
Thanks, Dina! 🙂
I love Witley and have been meaning to go all summer but somehow no got round to it. I think the old photos are really sad because you can see how grand it was.
Can’t imagine the wealth it would have taken to have such a place.
It’s a beautiful place. I haven’t been since they got the fountain going and must go again the next time I’m nearby. The parish church is such a surprise after the house, but I suppose they must have gone together really well at one point.