Created for Theodore Mander, a wealthy Victorian industrialist, Wightwick Manor is home to some of the finest Victorian craftsmanship and Pre-Raphaelite art, enjoying one of the finest remaining William Morris interiors in Britain, together with a host of other treasures. Located in a suburban area three miles west of the city of Wolverhampton, in England’s West Midlands, Wightwick Manor is now its 70th year as a National Trust property.
As Christmas approaches, it will be all hustle and bustle at Wightwick (pronounced “WIT-ick”) Manor. Staff and volunteers will be joining forces to make traditional Victorian-style Christmas decorations to infuse the already stunning interior with festive spirit. All hands will be busily crafting heaps of natural foliage from Wightwick’s own stunning 17-acre garden into fragrant wreaths and garlands, to delight visitors and transport them back to a time when the Arts & Crafts movement was at its peak.
In 1905, Theodore Mander’s eldest son, Sir Geoffrey Mander, inherited the manor. Realizing the importance of both his father’s property and its contents, in 1937 Sir Geoffrey handed over care of Wightwick Manor to the National Trust, a charitable organization dedicated to safeguarding places of historic interest or natural beauty.
Although its original setting was idyllic and rural – prior to the inevitable encroachment of urban sprawl – Wightwick Manor owes a debt to industrial England for its existence, since its creator made his fortune as a manufacturer of paints and varnishes. Having bought part of the Wightwick estate with his Canadian wife, Flora St Clair Paint, Theodore Mander renovated the property’s 17th-century house and outbuildings. Later, Mander commissioned architect Edward Ould, a specialist in timber framing, to design a new house on the grounds, and in 1887 Wightwick Manor was completed. Over the next few years, the Manders’ needs changed as the family grew larger, resulting in the building of the new East Wing of the house in 1893, also designed by Ould.
Wightwick’s exterior echoes the Old English style that became popular in the 1860s. With its combination of timber framing with plaster, stone and red brick, it gives the illusion of an ancient house added to over the years and restored to its former glory, although it was thoroughly modern in its innovations from the outset, having built-in electricity, central heating and even a Turkish bath. The extension is larger than the original house, and appears older. It is entirely half-timbered, with decorative 16th-century-style chimneys, and suggests the grandeur of a late-medieval manor house. Indeed the new rooms in the East Wing – in particular the Great Parlour, with its minstrels’ gallery and huge inglenook fireplace – add an undeniable splendor to the original family home.
While Theodore Mander owed his success to his manufacturing business, a return to the honesty of hand-made craftsmanship lay at the heart of his vision for Wightwick Manor. He was inspired by ideals of those at the forefront of the Arts & Crafts Movement, in particular, John Ruskin, the famous Victorian artist, author and critic; and William Morris, who was, amongst other things, a designer, writer and socialist. Through the vision that became Wightwick Manor, Mander celebrated their call for a move away from mass production and a return to hand-made goods produced by skilled craftsmen who took pride in their work.
To someone in a holiday mindset, Wightwick Manor might bring to mind images of a Christmas package waiting to be opened; happily, the riches awaiting discovery inside are sure to surpass expectations. For inside Wightwick Manor is a treasury of beautiful decor, art and objects, some collected from around the globe by Mander, but so many of which were designed and created by some of the finest Victorian craftsmen and designers England has known.
It is at Wightwick Manor that visitors have a rare opportunity to see the work of William Morris, one of the main founders of the British Arts & Crafts movement, not as museum pieces on display, but as an integral part of the decor of the house.
Throughout the house, one may view examples of his magnificent wallpapers, fabrics, carpets, furniture and fittings. Many of the fabrics and wallpapers, taking much of their inspiration from nature, were originally much brighter, but the years have made them calmer, showing gentler greens, blues and grays that nonetheless seem to sit well with the softly lit, convivial feel of the house.
As well as the outstanding influence of William Morris at Wightwick Manor, many important examples of his contemporaries’ work are on view throughout. Interestingly, like Morris, many of the craftsmen and designers in question have created objects and designs in more than one artistic discipline, perhaps a significant affirmation of the ideal held by Morris and his contemporaries that no one artistic medium should be deemed more important than another.
The stunning stained-glass windows found throughout the residence are from the studio of Charles Kempe, one of the most important Victorian makers. Kempe specialized in creating stained glass for church windows, so the images adorning this home are quite rare. In the Drawing Room, human representations of The Four Seasons accompany a verse from Morris’ poem The Earthly Paradise, set in the glass below, while the coats of arms and images of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick in the Great Parlour lend themselves to the grand, medieval feel of this space. Kempe also designed the plaster frieze above the inglenook in the Great Parlour, portraying the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Examples of tiles by William De Morgan, one of the most accomplished ceramic designers of his time, include those showing the fantastic mythical creatures adorning the Drawing Room fireplace. The creativity and freshness of De Morgan’s hand is also behind the beautiful wild beasts to be seen on the shimmering ruby lusterware dishes on display in the Drawing Room and the Great Parlour.
A myriad of captivating paintings, family portraits, photographs and sketches adorn the walls, ranging from smaller, more personal pieces to works altogether grander in size and theme. The exceptional collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, which continues to grow today, was initiated by Sir Geoffrey Mander and his second wife, Rosalie Glynn Grylls, an authority on the Pre-Raphaelites, and includes works by Rossetti, Millais and William Holman Hunt.
In the Great Parlour hangs the famous portrait Jane Elizabeth Hughes, Mrs. Nassau Senior (1828-1877) by G. F. Watts (1817-1904), with a strength of color and attention to detail showing the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites. Also in the Great Parlour is Love Among the Ruins, a spectacular later work by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898). Also on view are works by Spencer-Stanhope, an important follower of Burne-Jones; Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893), who is strongly associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; and John Ruskin, a champion of the same movement.
Year round, Wightwick Manor is a delight for visitors. It is not museum-like, but exudes a warm, welcoming feeling, a sense of life and activity. In order to preserve the colors of the stunning decor, the light throughout the building is kept soft and muted, and the last of the guests and staff members have left, each room is blacked out, shrouding its many treasures in darkness once again.
Wightwick Manor was the first house to be given fully to the National Trust during the lifetime of the owner, a testament to its significance, particularly since it had only been built 50 years earlier. Together with descendants of Theodore Mander, the National Trust has played a crucial role not only in protecting, but also nurturing the growth of the extraordinary collection there. As this growth continues, there are plans to increase opening times and to improve access and facilities for visitors. Over the next two years or so, an extension will be added to the current, modestly sized guests’ tearoom.
Wightwick Manor is not merely a home of the Arts & Crafts era locked in a time capsule. While it retains its late-Victorian charm and beauty – a shining example of late-19th-century aesthetics – its guardians, like benevolent magpies, continue to add to its remarkable period collection. Wightwick Manor and its contents are a living testament to its time, and within its collection are objects both “useful and beautiful” – proof enough that William Morris practiced what he preached.
