Wightwick Manor
With a National Art Pass you get
In 1937 local paint manufacturer and liberal MP Geoffrey Mander did something remarkable - he persuaded the National Trust to accept a house that was just 50 years old.
The timber-frame manor had been left to him by his father Theodore who ? inspired by lecture on 'the House Beautiful' by Oscar Wilde ? had decorated its interiors with original wallpapers and fabrics by William Morris and his Arts & Crafts contemporaries.
Wightwick had fallen out of style by the 1930s, yet was such a perfect example of the Aesthetic movement that Mander convinced the Trust it was worthy of preservation. He and his second wife Rosalie became its live-in curators, opening the house to the public and adding to its contents. Most notable is the collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings by Rossetti and Burne-Jones, as well as examples of Kempe glass and De Morgan ceramics.
The Grade II listed Arts & Crafts garden, designed by Thomas Mawson, reflects the style and character of the house.
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.
